tree

tree — noun

1. A large plant with one thick woody stem, called a trunk, and a spreading top of

1.nounA1
Definition

A large plant with one thick woody stem, called a trunk, and a spreading top of branches covered in leaves.

Example

Sahil planted an apple tree in his back garden last spring.

The old oak tree beside the school playground has stood for over a hundred years.

Common collocations
  • plant a tree
  • climb a tree
  • fallen tree
  • tree trunk
  • tree branch
  • tree root
  • shade tree
  • fruit tree
Synonyms
  • plant

    much broader category — a tree is a type of plant, but most plants are not trees

  • sapling

    a young tree with a thin trunk, not yet fully grown

  • shrub

    smaller than a tree, with several thin woody stems instead of one trunk

Common Mistakes

There are many trees on the park.
There are many trees in the park.
Use 'in' (inside an area), not 'on', when saying where trees are located.

2. A tall plant that looks like a tree and is commonly called one, but does not hav

2.nounB1
Definition

A tall plant that looks like a tree and is commonly called one, but does not have a true woody trunk — for example, a palm tree or a banana tree.

Example

Palm trees grow well along the coast of southern Taiwan.

Banana plants are not true trees, but people call them trees because of their height.

botanical distinction: tree-like but without woody trunk

Common collocations
  • palm tree
  • banana tree
  • tropical tree
Synonyms
  • palm

    a specific type of arborescent plant, not a general synonym

Usage Note

Trees in this sense include palms, banana plants, and tree ferns — plants that reach tree-like height but have soft or non-woody stems instead of a hard trunk.

3. A diagram with one starting point and lines that branch out into smaller parts,

3.nounB2
Definition

A diagram with one starting point and lines that branch out into smaller parts, used to show how things are related or organised — for instance, a family tree showing relatives, or a decision tree used in computing or business.

Example

The teacher drew a family tree on the board to show how everyone is related.

collocation: family tree

In computer science class, Justin learned to create a parse tree for a simple sentence.

domain: computer science — parse tree

Common collocations
  • family tree
  • decision tree
  • parse tree
  • tree diagram
  • management tree
Synonyms
  • diagram

    a broader category — all trees are diagrams, but not all diagrams are trees

  • chart

    a visual display of information, less specific about branching structure

Usage Note

Common in computing (parse tree, decision tree) and genealogy (family tree). The diagram always has a single root that splits into connected branches.

Common Mistakes

I drew a tree to show my family.
I drew a family tree to show my relatives.
Without 'family' or another qualifier, 'tree' alone refers to the plant, not the diagram.
Idioms

the apple doesn’t fall/never falls far from the tree

idiom

Children often have similar qualities or behaviors to their parents.

Mia's talent for music shows the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Does the apple never fall far from the tree when a son becomes a doctor like his father?

at the top of the tree

idiom

In the highest position or level in a profession or career.

After years of hard work, Sara is now at the top of the tree in her field.

Diego wondered if he would ever reach at the top of the tree in his company.

be barking up the wrong tree

idiom

To have a mistaken idea about how to achieve something or who is responsible.

If you think I stole your wallet, you are barking up the wrong tree.

Brian realized he was barking up the wrong tree by blaming his sister.

be out of your tree

idiom

To behave in a crazy or irrational way, often due to drugs or alcohol.

After drinking too much, Tom was completely out of his tree at the party.

Maya thought her friend must be out of his tree to jump into the cold river.

it/money doesn’t grow on trees

idiom

Used to say that money or resources are limited and should not be wasted.

Dad told me that money doesn't grow on trees when I asked for a new bike.

Remember, it doesn't grow on trees, so spend your allowance wisely.

not see the wood for the trees

idiom

To fail to understand the main point because you focus too much on small details.

The manager was so focused on tiny errors that he didn't see the wood for the trees.

Aiden couldn't see the wood for the trees when he argued about the color of the logo.

tree — verb

Word family

  • treeless
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A tree is a tall living thing with one thick wooden trunk and branches. A plant is a much broader category — trees, flowers, grass, and vegetables are all plants, but only a subset are trees. A shrub (or bush) is shorter than a tree and has several thin woody stems instead of one main trunk; think of the rose bushes or lavender in a garden. A sapling is simply a young tree that has not reached its full size yet, with a thin, flexible trunk. For example, you might say 'We planted a sapling in the yard, and twenty years later it became a tall oak tree.' But you would not call a lavender bush a tree, even though it is a plant.

tree ↗plant ↗shrubsapling

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • family tree
  • decision tree
  • parse tree
  • tree diagram

Prepositions

  • in a tree
  • on a tree
  • up a tree
  • under a tree

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

The word 'tree' comes from Old English trēow, which meant 'tree' as well as 'wood' or 'timber.' This traces back to a Proto-Germanic root *trewą, related to similar words in Dutch (boom) and German (Baum). Going further back, the Indo-European root *deru- meant 'to be firm or solid,' which also gave rise to English words like 'true' and 'trust' — suggesting an ancient link between trees and ideas of strength and reliability.