Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of fragrant reddish wood: The aromatic, reddish-colored timber obtained from several different North American coniferous trees.
   • A tall Pacific coast tree: A large evergreen tree (Thuja plicata) native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, with scale-like foliage and reddish-brown bark.
   • A small eastern juniper: A coniferous tree or shrub (Juniperus virginiana) found in eastern North America, characterized by its conical shape and shredding brown bark.
   • A large northwestern arborvitae: Refers specifically to the western red cedar (Thuja plicata), a massive and commercially important tree of the Pacific Northwest.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The chest was made of beautifully polished red cedar.
  • The old-growth red cedar forest was protected as a national park.
  • Birds often nest in the dense branches of the eastern red cedar.
  • The canoe was traditionally carved from a single log of red cedar.

Advanced Usage

• As a modifier: Used attributively to describe objects made from the wood.
  • The house featured red cedar shingles that weathered to a soft gray.
  • He built a red cedar closet to protect clothes from moths.

Variants and Related Words

• Eastern red cedar: Common name for .
• Western red cedar: Common name for .
• Redcedar (sometimes spelled as one word): An alternative spelling for the tree names.

Synonyms

• Aromatic cedar (often used for the eastern species, , due to its moth-repelling scent).
• Canoe cedar (a name for , referencing its traditional use).

Notes on Meaning

The term "red cedar" is a common name applied to several distinct species of trees, not a single botanical species. Its primary meanings refer to: 1. The fragrant, durable wood itself, prized for construction and cabinetry. 2. Specific tree species, primarily the eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana, actually a juniper) and the western red cedar (Thuja plicata, an arborvitae). The context (geographic location or wood description) usually indicates which species is meant.

Noun

1. fragrant reddish wood of any of various red cedar trees
2. tall tree of the Pacific coast of North America having foliage like cypress and cinnamon-red bark
3. small juniper found east of Rocky Mountains having a conic crown, brown bark that peels in shreds, and small sharp needles
4. large valuable arborvitae of northwestern United States