blackwood
blackwood Lexical Profile
blackwood Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The dense, dark heartwood of any of several trees, such as the African blackwood or Australian blackwood, highly valued for making fine furniture, decorative items, and woodwind musical instruments.
"The oboe was meticulously crafted from African blackwood to ensure a rich, resonant tone."
Any of various trees that produce heavy, dark-colored wood, particularly the Australian acacia species Acacia melanoxylon and the African legume Dalbergia melanoxylon.
"During the hike through the Tasmanian forest, they rested under the wide canopy of an ancient blackwood."
A popular bidding convention in contract bridge, initiated by a bid of four no-trump to determine how many aces a partner holds before attempting a slam.
"Using blackwood, she confidently bid a grand slam after discovering her partner held the two missing aces."
• Rhymes for blackwood
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Compound of the English words 'black' and 'wood', reflecting the characteristic dark coloration of the heartwood. In the context of card games, it is named after Easley Blackwood, who invented the bidding convention in 1933.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.