red oak
1
4.6
- noun
- /rɛd oʊk/
- US
:
roble rojo
- Beside the trail, leaves from red oaks clumped in adhesive pads.
- northern red oak
- southern red oak
- red oak and maple
Examples
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On a November morning, Maggie could hear the ax ringing as Father chopped up pieces of the red oak that had blown over in the last storm.
Fiction book (2000) -
This is a red oak.
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Surrounding the house are red oak trees with fragile roots.
Fiction book (2001) -
Right now I have red oak plank flooring in a natural finish.
Blog text (23) -
Its yard was shaded by a huge red oak tree, from which people took bits of bark to brew a tonic for their chickens.
Academic text (1997) -
The furniture was crafted from beautiful red oak, known for its durability and rich color.
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During our hike, we admired the tall red oak trees, showcasing their striking autumn foliage.
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In the park, the large red oak provided ample shade for picnics on sunny afternoons.
Synonyms
A large oak tree from eastern North America with leaves that turn red in autumn
A large tree with broad leaves that have sharp points and a rounded top
A large oak tree from eastern North America with leaves that have pointed lobes and red autumn color
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase 'red oak' is compositionally transparent: 'red' simply modifies 'oak' to indicate an oak with reddish wood or coloration, so a learner who knows 'red' and 'oak' can infer it denotes a type of oak tree with red characteristics. This adjective + noun pattern is a basic, cross-linguistically common modifier construction, making the meaning immediately recoverable to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Red oak comes from the tree's reddish wood and its leaves, which often turn red in autumn, so the words red and oak are literal. That's why red oak means a kind of oak known for red-coloured wood and leaves.