tree

TREE/tɹiː/

14 meanings of tree

1
woody plantnouncountable
A tall plant with a trunk, and branches or leaves high above the ground, such as an oak, palm or banana.
We planted a small tree in the backyard last spring.
The storm knocked down several old trees along the road.
UsageA cat is in a tree; apples grow on a tree.
Note
2
branching chartnouncountable
A drawing or list that branches out to show how things are linked, grouped, or chosen.
Like a map of choices that keeps splitting into smaller paths.
We drew a tree to map out every choice we could make.
The game showed a tree of moves leading to a win or a loss.
UsageOften in family tree.
Note
3
data structurenouncountable
In maths and computing, a set of linked points that branch out like a tree, with no loops.
Like a family chart, where each name branches down to its own children.
The app stores its menu as a tree, with each item holding smaller items.
The folders on your computer form a tree, with folders inside folders.
Note

Less common meanings

4
coat standnouncountable
A tall stand with hooks or shelves sticking out, for hanging coats or for cats to climb.
Like a coat rack shaped from a small tree trunk.
Hang your umbrella on the coat tree by the door.
A carved wooden tree stood in the corner, its hooks full of coats.
Similarstand, rack
5
drugnounslanguncountableplural
Marijuana, the dried cannabis plant that people smoke.
They passed around some tree on the back porch after the show.
He always keeps a little tree stashed in a drawer.
UsageOften in smoke trees.
Similarweed, pot, grass, marijuana, cannabis
Note
6
crossnounarchaiccountable
A wooden cross or gallows used to put someone to death.
The robber was hanged on the gallows tree at the crossroads.
Jesus was crucified on a tree to give us life.
2015, Bruce Thomas, God's Purpose for His CreationHere, tree means a wooden cross used to put someone to death.
UsageUsed in on the tree, about the cross.
Similarcross, gallows, gibbet
Note
7
corner (hunting)verbtransitive
To chase an animal or person until they climb up into a tree to escape.
Like chasing a cat until it runs up a pole to get away.
The hounds will tree the raccoon if it tries to run.
Our dog treed a squirrel and barked at the trunk for an hour.
UsageDogs tree an animal: the cat was treed.
Note
8
shoe insertnouncountable
A shaped device put inside a shoe to keep it open and hold its shape.
He slipped a wooden tree into each shoe to keep its shape.
Put a tree in each boot so it dries without losing its shape.
UsageOften shoe tree.
Note
9
climb for safetyverbintransitive
To climb up into a tree to escape danger.
Like running upstairs to get away from something scary.
The cat will tree as soon as the dog barks.
The squirrel treed when it saw the hawk circling.
Note
10
put in branchesverbtransitive
To put or set something up into a tree.
He treed his frisbee on the first throw and had to climb up for it.
Don't kick the ball so high, or you'll tree it.
11
shape shoesverbtransitive
To put a shaped block inside a shoe so it keeps its form.
Like putting a frame inside a hat so it keeps its round shape.
I always tree my shoes after a long, wet walk.
She trees her leather boots so they don't lose their shape.
Note
12
noun
The stiff frame inside a saddle that the leather is built over.
13
noun
A branching, tree-shaped group of crystals that forms when a metal comes out of a liquid.
14
noun
The fifth card in a Lenormand fortune-telling deck.

Practice

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Origin

It comes from Old English "trēow" (tree, wood, timber), from older Germanic words meaning tree or wood, going all the way back to a Proto-Indo-European word *dóru meaning "tree".

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

Tree descends from Old English trēow. en.wiktionary.org
Old English trēow meant tree, wood, or timber. gutenberg.org
The word descends from older Germanic words meaning tree or wood. en.wiktionary.org
The ultimate ancestor is Proto-Indo-European *dóru, meaning tree. en.wiktionary.org