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brazilwood

brazilwood

1 9.9
Dense red wood from tropical trees used to make dye and violin bows
  • noun
  • /brəˈzɪlˌwʊd/
  • Specialized
: madera de Brasil
  • The rich red color of the cloth was produced using brazilwood chips.

Examples

  • The finest violin bows are often made from brazilwood.

  • In the past, brazilwood was exported as a valuable dye source.

  • The violin bow was crafted from brazilwood.

  • Many luthiers prefer brazilwood for making bows.

  • brazilwood is highly sought after for crafting fine violin bows due to its density and tone quality.

  • The artisans used brazilwood to create rich red dye for their fabrics, highlighting its importance in traditional crafts.

  • Many musicians prefer instruments made with brazilwood, as it enhances the sound quality during performances.

Synonyms

pernambuco wood
vsbrazilwood
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A hard red wood from a Brazilian tree that makers use for violin bows and fine furniture

is a broader category covering dense reddish woods from several related tree genera
braziletto
vsbrazilwood
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A tropical tree with hard reddish wood used to make dyes and violin bows

is narrower and used specifically for making violin bows and red dye

How Hard

ebony
10 5.5
brazilwood
  • Specialized
1 9.9
oak
53 1.0
pine
13 2.6
balsa
5 5.6

Surface Forms

brazilwood singular
brazilwoods plural

Morphology

brazilwood = brazil + wood (transparent) = brazil + wood

Formed by combining 'brazil' and 'wood'; the compound directly denotes a type of wood known as brazilwood.

Etymology

Brazilwood comes from the Portuguese pau-brasil, with brasil from brasa meaning 'ember', since the wood makes a bright red colour like a glowing coal. So brazilwood refers to the hard, reddish wood that was valued for making violin bows and for producing red dye.