southern red oak

7.4

A large tree from eastern North America with narrow, deeply lobed leaves and wood used for furniture

noun
/ˈsʌðərn rɛd oʊk/

: roble rojo del sur

It is a mixture of blackjack oak, willow oak, southern red oak, black gum, persimmon, winged elm, red mulberry, and other trees.

Examples

The southern red oak is known for its broad, rounded crown and distinctive lobed leaves.
Upland forest trees forming the upper canopy are loblolly pine, blackjack oak, southern red oak, and red maple.

Academic text (1998)
A scattering of blackjack oak, common persimmon, eastern red cedar, southern red oak, southern wax myrtle, and Virginia pine may be seen along a dune.

Academic text (2010)
In the park, a majestic southern red oak stood out among the other trees, its leaves shimmering in the sunlight.
The lumber from the southern red oak is highly valued for its durability and beauty in furniture making.

Synonyms

Quercus falcata

vssouthern red oak

Specialized

9.9

A large oak tree from the southeastern United States with narrow lobed leaves and strong reddish wood

is the common English name used in everyday speech

Surface Forms

southern red oak singular

southern red oaks plural

Morphology

southern + red + oak

The phrase denotes a type of oak tree composed transparently from its parts: 'oak' (the tree), 'red' (the red/ reddish species or wood type), and 'southern' (from the south). This is a straightforward, compositional noun phrase following normal adjective + noun patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Southern red oak gives a simple picture: an oak that grows in the south and often has reddish wood or leaves, so the name means a 'tree' with red wood from the southern area.