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Definition of boxwood
boxwood
/ˈbɑːks.wʊd/
box · wood
Plural:boxwoods
boxwood Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
7
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
boxwood Game Scores & Validity
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• noun
1
A slow-growing evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus Buxus, native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, widely cultivated for ornamental dense hedges and topiary.
Example
"The landscaper planted a row of boxwood along the path to create a formal border for the garden."
2
The exceptionally hard, heavy, and fine-grained pale yellow wood of the box tree, historically prized for wood engraving, carving, musical instruments, and chess pieces.
Example
"The artisan carved intricate illustrations into a solid block of boxwood to use for the printing press."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for boxwoodWord Origin & Etymology
Derived from Old English 'box' (referring to the box tree, from Latin 'buxus') combined with 'wood'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Boxwood. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 18, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/boxwood