gallows tree

noun

A tree used as a gallows, a tree from which people are hanged (killed by hanging).

Similar
hanging treegallows-treegibbetgallous
OriginMiddle English galowetre ← Old English gealgtrēow →
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Meanings

noungallows tree (plural gallows trees)

plural gallows trees · alternative gallow tree

  1. A tree used as a gallows, a tree from which people are hanged (killed by hanging).

    Synonyms: hanging tree

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA tree used as a gallows, a tree from which people are hanged (killed by hanging).

Similar
hanging tree

More synonyms by meaning

nounalternative terms for gallows

Similar
gallows-treegibbetgallous
Broader
gallows
Also see
gallousgallowsgibbethanging tree

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Old Englishgealgtrēow
  2. Middle Englishgalowetre
  3. Englishgallows tree

From earlier gallow tree, from Middle English galowetre, galwe tree, from Old English gealgtrēow, equivalent to gallows + tree. Cognate with Danish galgetræ, Swedish galgträd, Norwegian galgetre, Icelandic gálgatré. Compare also West Frisian galgebeam, German Galgenbaum.

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

gallows tree. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gallows%20tree

MLA

“gallows tree.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gallows%20tree. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gallows tree,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gallows%20tree.

Source: gallows tree on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.