noun
yew
YOO/juː/
An evergreen tree or shrub with poisonous needles and fleshy red seed coverings.
A yew beside the gate stays green throughout the winter.
Etymology
Old English iw already named the yew, so the modern meaning continues an inherited tree name. Its poisonous nature and longevity also made the tree a symbol of both death and immortality.
In context
imagine children gathering beneath an ancient yew tree growing near the entrance
More examples
- We trim the yews along the driveway each summer.
- Keep livestock away from the yew because its needles are poisonous.
- The yew has fleshy red coverings around its seeds.
Forms
yew · yews