DictionarybarkProtective outer covering
noun / verb

bark

The protective outer covering of a tree.

The tree’s bark has deep ridges.

Etymology

Old Norse bǫrkr named a tree’s outer covering. The inherited word identifies the protective outer layers of a woody trunk or branch.

More examples

  • She brushed loose bark from the log.
  • The crew barked the timber before processing it.
  • A strip of bark peeled away from the trunk.

Forms

bark · barks · barked · barking

Similar words

outer covering
A description of the layer.