bough
UK: baʊ | US: baʊ
n. a main branch of a tree
No data yet.
The word "bough" traces back to Old English bōg or bōh, meaning "shoulder, arm, or branch of a tree." It shares roots with Old High German buog (shoulder) and Old Norse bógr (shoulder, bow of a ship), reflecting the Proto-Germanic bōguz. Over time, its meaning narrowed to specifically denote a tree's large branch, likely due to the visual resemblance of branches to outstretched arms. As a compact Old English word, it retains its original form without separable morphemes.
A robin perched on the bough of an oak tree.
The storm snapped a heavy bough from the pine.
She decorated the bough with festive lights for Christmas.
The bough swayed gently in the autumn breeze.
Apples hung ripe from every bough of the orchard.