noun
yew
yoo
noun
1
An evergreen coniferous tree with dark needles and red berry-like seed cases, native to Europe and parts of Asia.
"The old churchyard was lined with ancient yew trees."
2
The wood of this tree, traditionally prized for making longbows.
"Medieval English archers favored bows carved from yew."
How to Use Yew
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dark, dense evergreen tree, historically used for making bows, and often planted in old churchyards.
Common mistake
Do not confuse with "ewe" (a female sheep) or "you" — all pronounced the same way.
Word Forms
yews plural
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The old churchyard was lined with ancient _____ trees.
Etymology
From Old English iw, going back to a very old Indo-European root for this type of evergreen tree.