woody
- 01 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.
Simple“The plant has a thick, woody stem that helps it survive the winter.”
In context“As the shrub matures, its green shoots develop a woody texture, providing the structural rigidity necessary to support heavy summer blooms.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.an area that has many trees growing on it.
adj.characterised by an abundance of trees; wooded.
Simple“We went for a long walk through the woody hills behind the house.”
In context“The estate is situated in a secluded woody valley, offering total privacy from the main road and the neighbouring farms.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
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.
Simple“Rose bushes are woody perennials that can live for many years.”
In context“The classification of woody species depends on the presence of secondary xylem, which allows the plant to grow taller than its herbaceous counterparts.”
SynonymslignoseAntonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
n.a slang word for when a man's penis becomes hard.
n.a vulgar slang term for an erect penis.
Simple“The teenage boys were making jokes about having a woody.”
In context“The film's crude humour relied heavily on sight gags involving characters trying to hide a woody in public.”
UsageUsually used with the verb 'to have' or 'to get'.
Teacher's tipThis is highly informal and potentially offensive; learners should avoid using it in any professional or polite social setting.
“Livestock do not eat or trample large woody trees, but most wildfires burn in grass and shrublands that livestock can help maintain.”
Clipping of Woodrow + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.