wych

9.9

An elm tree with broad leaves and hard wood that grows in Europe and western Asia

noun
/wɪtʃ/

: olmo

Birds often nest in the sturdy canopy of the wych elm, providing a lively scene in the park.
wych elm

Examples

The craftsman chose wych elm for its durability to make the beautiful furniture.
The children played beneath the tall branches of the wych elm as the sun filtered through the leaves.
He lay dead, not a mark upon him, face down under the wych elm.

Fiction book (2002)

Synonyms

wych elm

vswych

9.5

A large tree from Europe and Asia with broad leaves often grown for shade

is the identical species name but written in a shorter traditional form

witch elm

vswych

8.8

A European elm tree with wide branches used for shade

is the same species name but uses a different written variant

Compounds

wych hazel

8.5

A liquid made from a plant that you put on skin to clean and soothe it

wych elm

9.5

A large tree from Europe and Asia with broad leaves often grown for shade

wych hazel

9.5

A small tree with yellow flowers whose bark is used to make a skin lotion

Surface Forms

wych singular

wyches plural

Etymology

Wych is an old name for a kind of elm tree. It goes back to Old English and probably pointed to the tree's flexible branches, literally meaning 'bendy', so remembering 'bendy elm' helps you see why a wych was valued for furniture and strong wood.