noun
Uncommon
Pollard
POL-uhd
Pollard (noun) means a tree that has been pruned back hard to the trunk so it grows a dense crown of new shoots. Example: “The old willows along the canal had all been cut into pollards.”
noun
1
A tree that has been pruned back hard to the trunk so it grows a dense crown of new shoots.
"The old willows along the canal had all been cut into pollards."
verb
1
To prune a tree this way, cutting it back to the trunk to encourage bushy new growth.
"I walked up the path, passing under a heavily pollarded oak."
— Ian McEwan, Machines Like Me (2019)
"The gardeners pollard the plane trees every winter to keep them from blocking the light."
"I didn't know one could pollard elms. I thought one only pollarded willows."
— Edward Morgan Forster (1910)
How to use Pollard
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo cut a tree's branches right back to encourage a thick new crown, or a tree treated this way.
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Word forms
- Plural
- pollards
- Third person singular
- pollards
- Past tense
- pollarded
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old willows along the canal had all been cut into _____.
Etymology
From Middle English poll ("head") plus the suffix -ard (as in "drunkard"), originally describing an animal or tree with its "head" — horns or crown — cut off.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for Pollard
See all rhymes for Pollard →Frequently asked questions
What does “Pollard” mean?
The word “Pollard” means a tree that has been pruned back hard to the trunk so it grows a dense crown of new shoots. In plain terms, to cut a tree's branches right back to encourage a thick new crown, or a tree treated this way.
How do you pronounce “Pollard”?
“Pollard” is pronounced POL-uhd (/ˈpɑ.lɚd/ in IPA).
How do you use “Pollard” in a sentence?
Here is “Pollard” used in a sentence: “The old willows along the canal had all been cut into pollards.”
What part of speech is “Pollard”?
Depending on how it is used, “Pollard” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “Pollard” come from?
The word “Pollard” comes from Middle English. From Middle English poll ("head") plus the suffix -ard (as in "drunkard"), originally describing an animal or tree with its "head" — horns or crown — cut off.
Is “Pollard” a common word?
“Pollard” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Pollard” have?
“Pollard” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a tree that has been pruned back hard to the trunk so it grows a dense crown of new shoots.
