myrtlewood
myrtlewood Lexical Profile
• noun
American The hard, fine-grained, and often distinctively patterned wood of the California bay laurel tree (Umbellularia californica), highly valued by artisans for making furniture, cabinetry, turned bowls, and musical instruments.
"The artisan carved a beautiful salad bowl out of solid Oregon myrtlewood."
American An aromatic evergreen tree (Umbellularia californica) native to the coastal forests of southwestern Oregon and California, which produces this wood.
"We hiked through a dense grove of ancient myrtlewoods along the Oregon coast."
Word Nuance & Usage
The term 'myrtlewood' is primarily used in Oregon to describe both the tree and its lumber; in neighboring California, the exact same species is typically called the California bay laurel or pepperwood.
Word Origin & Etymology
A compound of 'myrtle' (from Latin myrtus) and 'wood' (Old English wudu). It was coined in the American Pacific Northwest by early settlers who thought the tree's aromatic leaves resembled the traditional Mediterranean myrtle.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.