chamise

noun

cha·​mise shə-ˈmēs How to pronounce chamise (audio)
chə-
: a California shrub (Adenostoma fasciculatum) of the rose family that forms dense stands in chaparral

Examples of chamise in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For this, too, the chamise was well adapted. — Matt Simon, Wired, 15 Apr. 2021 The first several miles had been deceivingly easy: a sandy descent marked by jack rabbits, yucca and chamise and views of the dilapidated barracks of Camp Lockett and a Border Patrol station swarming with trucks. — Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2022

Word History

Etymology

modification of American Spanish chamiza

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chamise was in 1846

Rhymes for chamise

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Browse Nearby Words

chamisal
chamise
chamite
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chamise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chamise. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

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