wooden
WUUDN
Wooden (adj) means Made of wood. Example: “The children built a small wooden boat in the workshop.”
adj
1
Made of wood.
"On a recent windy day, hundreds of visitors climbed wooden stairs to take pictures in front of the glacier."
"The children built a small wooden boat in the workshop."
"A wooden fence ran along the edge of the field."
"They sat around an old wooden table in the kitchen."
2
Stiff, awkward, or lacking natural expression, as if unable to move or emote freely.
"The presenter's wooden smile made the whole welcome speech feel rehearsed and cold."
"I thought the lead actor was a bit wooden in the emotional scenes."
"His acting felt wooden, with flat delivery and stiff gestures."
How to use wooden
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLiterally made from wood, or figuratively stiff and unnatural in movement or performance.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a wooden spoon
a wooden performance
wooden floor
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more wooden
- Superlative
- most wooden
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The children built a small _____ boat in the workshop.
Etymology
From "wood" plus "-en," replacing the older Middle English word "treen" for "made of wood."
Related words
Rhymes for wooden
See all rhymes for wooden →Frequently asked questions
What does “wooden” mean?
The word “wooden” means made of wood. In plain terms, literally made from wood, or figuratively stiff and unnatural in movement or performance.
How do you pronounce “wooden”?
“Wooden” is pronounced WUUDN (/ˈwʊdn̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “wooden” in a sentence?
Here is “wooden” used in a sentence: “They sat around an old wooden table in the kitchen.”
What part of speech is “wooden”?
“Wooden” is an adjective.
Where does the word “wooden” come from?
The word “wooden” comes from Middle English. From "wood" plus "-en," replacing the older Middle English word "treen" for "made of wood.".
Is “wooden” a common word?
“Wooden” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “wooden” have?
“Wooden” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: made of wood.
What is the difference between wooden and wood as descriptions?
Wooden is the adjective meaning made of wood, as in "a wooden chair." Wood is the noun for the material itself, though it is sometimes used attributively, as in "a wood floor." In most careful writing, "wooden table" is the standard adjective form, while "wood" describes the raw material.
What is the difference between wooden and woody?
Wooden means made of wood or, figuratively, stiff and unexpressive. Woody means resembling wood or full of woods, as in "a woody stem" or "a woody hillside," and can also describe a smell or flavour that is earthy and wood-like. So a chair is wooden, but a plant's tough stalk is woody.
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