ironwood

I1R1O1N1W4O1O1D2

noun

Acacia esthrophiolata, Acacia excelsa, Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia stenophylla, or Erythrophleum chlorostachys.

Similar
rose chestnutironwood treeMesua ferreairon treeiron-treeEastern hop hornbeamOstrya virginiana
Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

nounironwood (countable and uncountable, plural ironwoods)

plural ironwoods

  1. Any of numerous tree species known locally for having a particularly solid wood, or the wood of such species itself.
    1. AustraliacountableuncountableAcacia esthrophiolata, Acacia excelsa, Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia stenophylla, or Erythrophleum chlorostachys.

      Lydia and the boys lived in a shabby, prefabricated house of three rooms, which had been set down in the shade of an ironwood.

      1987, Bruce Chatwin, The Songlines, Vintage, published 1998, page 139
    2. countableuncountableAegiphilia martinicensis
    3. countableuncountableAfzelia africana
    4. countableuncountableAstronium spp.
    5. countableuncountableBackhousia myrtifolia
    6. countableuncountableCarpinus caroliniana
    7. countableuncountableCasuarina cristata
    8. countableuncountableChionanthus caymanensis
    9. countableuncountableCliftonia monophylla
    10. countableuncountableColubrina elliptica
    11. countableuncountableCombretum imberbe
    12. countableuncountableCordia subcordata
    13. countableuncountableCyrilla racemiflora
    14. countableuncountableDialium guianense
    15. countableuncountableExothea paniculata
    16. countableuncountableForesteria pubescens
    17. countableuncountableGordonia haematoxylon
    18. countableuncountableGymnostoma sumatranum
    19. countableuncountableHeritiera spp.
    20. countableuncountableJacquinia keyensis
    21. countableuncountableMetrosideros spp.
    22. countableuncountableMyracrodruon urundeuva
    23. countableuncountableOstrya virginiana
    24. countableuncountableParrotia spp.
    25. countableuncountablePaubrasilia echinata
    26. countableuncountablePrunus africana
    27. countableuncountableSchinopsis spp.
    28. countableuncountableSchleichera oleosa
    29. countableuncountableSenegalia muricata
    30. countableuncountableSideroxylon spp.
    31. countableuncountableSloania spp.
    32. countableuncountableSwartzia spp.
    33. countableuncountableTerminalia canescens
    34. countableuncountableThouina striata
    35. countableuncountableVachellia farnesiana

Synonyms & antonyms

nounhandsome East Indian evergreen tree often planted as an ornamental for its fragrant white flowers that yield a perfume; source of very heavy hardwood used for railroad ties

Similar
rose chestnutironwood treeMesua ferrea
Broader
tree

nouna small slow-growing deciduous tree of northern Iran having a low domed shape

Similar
iron treeiron-treeironwood tree
Broader
angiospermous treeflowering tree

nounmedium-sized hop hornbeam of eastern North America

Similar
Eastern hop hornbeamironwood treeOstrya virginiana
Broader
hop hornbeam
Also see
american hornbeamblue beechipemusclewoodtiti

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From iron + wood, because of its toughness.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans swartysterhout, ysterhout
  • swartysterhoutany of a number of tree species known for having a particularly solid wood
  • ysterhoutany of a number of tree species known for having a particularly solid wood
Dutch ijzerhout
  • ijzerhoutany of a number of tree species known for having a particularly solid wood
French bois de fer
  • bois de ferany of a number of tree species known for having a particularly solid wood
German Eisenholz
  • Eisenholzany of a number of tree species known for having a particularly solid wood
Italian legno ferro
  • legno ferroany of a number of tree species known for having a particularly solid wood
Persian آهنچوب
  • آهنچوب (āhančub)any of a number of tree species known for having a particularly solid wood
Polish drzewo żelazne
  • drzewo żelazneany of a number of tree species known for having a particularly solid wood
Portuguese pau-ferro
  • pau-ferroany of a number of tree species known for having a particularly solid wood
Swahili mjohoro
  • mjohoroany of a number of tree species known for having a particularly solid wood
Cite this entry
APA

ironwood. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ironwood

MLA

“ironwood.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ironwood. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ironwood,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ironwood.

Source: ironwood on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.