Word
woody
Phoneticswoody
US/ˈwʊdi/
UK/wˈʊdi/
Definitions
01resembling wood
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. made of wood or having a texture and appearance like wood.
adj. consisting of wood or having the characteristic texture, density, or appearance of wood.
“The plant has a thick, woody stem that helps it survive the winter.”
“As the shrub matures, its green shoots develop a woody texture, providing the structural rigidity necessary to support heavy summer blooms.”
Synonyms
02covered in trees
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. an area that has many trees growing on it.
adj. characterised by an abundance of trees; wooded.
“We went for a long walk through the woody hills behind the house.”
“The estate is situated in a secluded woody valley, offering total privacy from the main road and the neighbouring farms.”
03botanical structure
C1 · Advanced Science Technical
adj. describing plants that have hard stems rather than soft, green ones.
adj. referring to plants that produce wood as their structural tissue; non-herbaceous.
“Rose bushes are woody perennials that can live for many years.”
“The classification of woody species depends on the presence of secondary xylem, which allows the plant to grow taller than its herbaceous counterparts.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04vulgar slang for an erection
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Slang · Vulgar
n. a slang word for when a man's penis becomes hard.
n. a vulgar slang term for an erect penis.
“The teenage boys were making jokes about having a woody.”
“The film's crude humour relied heavily on sight gags involving characters trying to hide a woody in public.”
Usage
Typically used in botanical or culinary contexts to describe texture and composition.
Real-World Examples
“Livestock do not eat or trample large woody trees, but most wildfires burn in grass and shrublands that livestock can help maintain.” Etymology
Clipping of Woodrow + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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