bamboo
|bam-boo|
/ˌbæmˈbuː/
hollow woody grass
Etymology
'bamboo' originates from Malay/Indonesian, specifically the word 'bambu' (also recorded as 'mambu'), which was adopted into Portuguese and Spanish as 'bambu' and entered European languages.
'bamboo' passed from Malay 'bambu' into Portuguese and Spanish as 'bambu' in the 16th century and then entered English usage as 'bamboo' from those European forms.
Initially, the word referred to the plant itself ('bamboo'); over time its sense broadened to include the material made from the plant and various derived uses (for example, objects made of bamboo).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a tall, woody, hollow-stemmed grass of the subfamily Bambusoideae, often forming dense stands in tropical and subtropical regions.
Giant bamboo grows quickly and can form dense groves.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the hard, strong material (wood-like) obtained from the stems of bamboo plants, used for construction, tools, furniture, instruments, and crafts.
The floor was made from bamboo, giving the room a warm look.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/09 04:08