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black locust
noun
: a tall tree (Robinia pseudoacacia) of eastern North America with pinnately compound leaves, drooping racemes of fragrant white flowers, and strong stiff wood
Examples of black locust in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Staff have been refreshing the giant panda exhibit in anticipation of Bao Li and Qing Bao’s arrival, with upgrades like fresh sod, murals depicting mountains, a panda hammock, black locust climbing structures and 40 Giant Panda Cam cameras, per the Washington Post.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Oct. 2024
The backyard is thick with towering black locust trees.
—Tik Root, WIRED, 30 Mar. 2024
Both are clad with cedar wood shingles and black locust wood siding, and both are equipped with large outdoor decks that expand the interior space further outside.
—Kimberley Mok, Treehugger, 5 Sep. 2023
The best woods include osage, Oregon yew, white ash, Southern red cedar, black walnut, black locust, apple, and mulberry.
—Keith McCafferty, Field & Stream, 29 June 2023
Mark McNamara of Conundrum Woodcraft in Gaston has decorative items made from maple, oak, cherry, black walnut, black locust, apple and birch trees sustainably foraged from the Willamette and Columbia river valleys.
—Jeastman, oregonlive, 9 June 2023
The black locust tree can take in atmospheric nitrogen and convert it to a type more accessible to plants.
—Elena Shao Maddie McGarvey, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2022
Research suggests that different honeys, derived from bees foraging on black locust tree flowers, sunflowers or a mix of flowers, ward off different types of bacteria.
—Berly McCoy, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Oct. 2021
This link has the characteristics of the Black Walnut tree, the Oregon ash, the western sumac, and the black locust tree, all of which have similar leaves to the tree of heaven.
—oregonlive, 9 Oct. 2021
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Word History
First Known Use
1787, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near black locust
Cite this Entry
“Black locust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black%20locust. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
More from Merriam-Webster on black locust
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about black locust
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