What does rosewood mean?
Rosewood is a prized tropical hardwood known for its strength, close grain, and rich reddish-brown colouring. The most celebrated rosewoods come from trees in the genus Dalbergia, including Brazilian rosewood, and their wood has traditionally been used for elegant furniture, cabinets, panelling, turned objects, and musical instruments. Some pieces are valued especially for vivid or symmetrical grain, often called figured or striped rosewood. In wider commercial usage, however, the name can apply to several different tropical timbers whose appearance and properties vary considerably. Rosewood can also name a warm reddish-brown colour. In ordinary use the word is normally an uncountable mass noun: a craftsman might select a piece of rosewood for a table or describe a cabinet as being made of rosewood. The term should not be confused with redwood, the timber and tree of giant coniferous trees native to California and Oregon.
nounA hard, close-grained tropical wood with a rich reddish-brown colour, especially valued for fine furniture and decorative work. The name applies particularly to timber from trees in the genus Dalbergia, though it is also used commercially for several other woods.
- The dense, reddish-brown wood of certain tropical trees, especially those in the genus Dalbergia, used for furniture, cabinetry, musical instruments, and decorative objects.
- A reddish-brown colour associated with rosewood.
"The desk was made from beautifully figured rosewood."
"The cabinetmaker used rosewood to create a desk with a mirrored grain."
"A warm rosewood colour complemented the room's dark furnishings."
The plural is uncommon; the countable use generally refers to distinct trees, pieces of timber, or varieties encountered in commerce.
"Several rosewoods were displayed at the timber exhibition."
A tropical timber named for its rosy colour, rosewood has long been a favourite of cabinetmakers because its grain can form dramatic, swirling patterns.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does rosewood come from?
The word was formed in English in the 19th century from rose and wood. Its immediate source was German Rosenholz, literally “rose wood,” a name associated with woods having a reddish or rosy appearance. The element rose ultimately derives from Latin rosa, a word of uncertain ultimate origin.
How rosewood is actually used
The term is usually an uncountable mass noun. Although it can refer specifically to Dalbergia timber, it is also used more broadly and imprecisely for various tropical woods sold under trade names.
Easily confused with rosewood
Rosewood is tropical hardwood from broad-leaved trees, including Dalbergia species, whereas redwood is the wood or tree of conifers such as the coast redwood and giant sequoia.