timber
5 synonyms and 0 antonyms for timber, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Wood that has been cut and prepared for building.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use timber
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English timber, related to a very old Indo-European root meaning "to build" — the same root that eventually gives us words like "domestic" and "dome" in other languages.
Full origin of timber →Frequently asked questions
What does “timber” mean?
The word “timber” means wood that has been cut and prepared for building. In plain terms, wood used for building, or the trees it comes from.
How do you pronounce “timber”?
“Timber” is pronounced TIHM-buh (/ˈtɪmbɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “timber” in a sentence?
Here is “timber” used in a sentence: “They ordered timber for the new roof frame.”
What part of speech is “timber”?
Depending on how it is used, “timber” can be a noun and an intj.
Where does the word “timber” come from?
The word “timber” comes from Old English. From Old English timber, related to a very old Indo-European root meaning "to build" — the same root that eventually gives us words like "domestic" and "dome" in other languages.
Is “timber” a common word?
“Timber” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “timber” have?
“Timber” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: wood that has been cut and prepared for building.
What is the difference between timber and lumber?
In British English, timber is the usual word for wood that has been cut and prepared for building. In North American English, lumber is more common for sawn boards and planks, while timber tends to mean standing trees or heavy structural beams. Both words describe wood processed for construction.
What is the difference between timber and timbre?
Timber is wood prepared for building, trees grown as a source of wood, or a large wooden beam. Timbre is an unrelated word meaning the characteristic quality of a sound or voice. Because the spellings are so close, timbre is often mistyped as timber, but the two are never interchangeable.
Why do people shout timber when a tree falls?
"Timber!" is a traditional warning shout used when a felled tree is about to fall, alerting anyone nearby to move clear of the falling trunk. The shout comes from logging, where the felled trees are the timber being harvested. It is still used by tree fellers today, and humorously whenever something large topples.
What is the difference between timber and wood?
Wood is the general material that trees are made of, whatever its state or use. Timber refers specifically to wood that has been cut and prepared for building, to trees considered as a source of wood, or to a large structural beam. All timber is wood, but not all wood is timber.