timber

timber — noun

1. Living trees that are planted and raised so their trunks can later be cut down a

1.nounB1
Definition

Living trees that are planted and raised so their trunks can later be cut down and processed into boards or beams for construction.

Example

The logging company owns large areas of standing timber in northern Sweden.

standing timber — uncountable, refers to living trees

Mira's family has been harvesting timber from their land for three generations.

Common collocations
  • standing timber
  • timber forest
  • timber crop
  • timber industry
Synonyms
  • woodland

    refers to the land covered by trees rather than the trees themselves as a resource

  • forest

    a larger natural area; not specifically grown as a crop for harvesting

2. Building material made from tree trunks that have been turned into boards and be

2.nounB1
Definition

Building material made from tree trunks that have been turned into boards and beams ready for construction work.

Example

The cabin was built using locally sourced timber and stone from the nearby hills.

locally sourced timber — adjective + uncountable noun

Kwame ordered enough timber to build a large garden shed behind his house.

Common collocations
  • construction timber
  • treated timber
  • oak timber
  • pine timber
  • timber frame
Synonyms
  • lumber

    the standard American English term for prepared wood; less common in British usage

  • wood

    a broader term that includes firewood, paper pulp, and craft materials, not just construction timber

Usage Note

In British English, timber is the usual term for prepared construction wood. In American English, the equivalent word is lumber.

Common Mistakes

I bought some timbers for the shelf.
I bought some timber for the shelf.
In the sense of wood material, timber is uncountable.
The lumber merchant sells timber.
The timber merchant sells timber.
In British English, the trade is called timber, not lumber.

3. A long, thick piece of wood that acts as a supporting beam in a building, ship,

3.nounB1
Definition

A long, thick piece of wood that acts as a supporting beam in a building, ship, or other large structure.

Example

A heavy oak timber supported the roof of the medieval hall for centuries.

Workers lifted a long timber into place to form the bridge main frame.

lifted a timber into place — physical handling of a countable timber

Common collocations
  • oak timber
  • heavy timber
  • roof timber
  • support timber
  • curved timber
Synonyms
  • beam

    a horizontal timber that carries weight; the most direct synonym for this sense

  • plank

    a flat, long piece of wood, usually thinner than a timber beam

  • post

    a vertical timber that stands upright rather than spanning horizontally

Usage Note

Unlike the uncountable sense of timber (WOOD MATERIAL), this sense is countable — you can have one timber or several timbers. The guide_word BEAM helps distinguish it from BUILDING WOOD.

Common Mistakes

The roof needs more timber to hold it up.
The roof needs more timbers to hold it up.
When referring to individual beams, use the countable form.

timber — exclamation

timber — verb

Word family

  • timbered
    adjectiveB2
  • timbering
    nounC1
  • timberyard
    nounB2
  • timberline
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Timber, lumber, and wood all refer to tree material, but they are used in different contexts and regions. Timber (UK) and lumber (US) both mean wood that has been cut and prepared for construction — the key difference is geographical: a British builder orders timber, while an American builder orders lumber. Wood is the broadest term, covering everything from firewood and paper pulp to fine furniture and construction materials. In British English, timber often carries a sense of large, heavy beams suitable for structural framing, whereas wood can refer to any size, shape, or quality. For example, you would say 'the cabin is built of timber' to emphasise the solid wooden structure, but 'the cabin is built of wood' is a more general statement about the material. In American English, lumber is the standard construction term — 'the lumber yard' sells lumber for building. Using timber in American English may sound slightly old-fashioned or British, though it is still understood.

timber ↗lumber ↗wood ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • timber industry
  • timber trade
  • timber merchant
  • timber yard
  • timber frame

Phrases

  • timber and stone
  • glass and timber
  • brick and timber

Prepositions

  • made of timber
  • built from timber
  • constructed with timber

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicEnglish

Timber comes from Old English 'timber', which originally meant 'building, structure, or building material'. This word is related to Old High German 'zimbar' (a dwelling or building) and Gothic 'timrjan' (to build). Over time, the meaning narrowed from 'building material in general' to specifically 'wood used in construction'. The verb sense 'to build with timber' retains the original building-related meaning, while the exclamation sense — shouted when a felled tree is about to fall — developed from logging culture in the 19th century.