ponderosa pine

noun

pon·​der·​o·​sa pine ˌpän-də-ˈrō-sə- How to pronounce ponderosa pine (audio)
-zə-
: a tall pine (Pinus ponderosa) of western North America with long needles usually in groups of two or three
also : its strong reddish straight-grained wood

Examples of ponderosa pine 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.
Abutting old-growth ponderosa pines, the 2-acre property has a patio, yards, and landscaping. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 14 Oct. 2026 McMillan, who today is the only fire mitigation specialist for a homeowner’s association in the West, is using his experience to encourage residents in Ken-Caryl Ranch, a 4,400-home Denver subdivision, to protect their ponderosa pines. — Jennifer Oldham, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026 To walk deep into the mountain forests at the doorstep of the Rocky Mountains, is to encounter the fragrant majesty of century-old ponderosa pine trees famous for lining ski slopes, National Park trails and residential neighborhoods. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026 In the hot and progressively drier areas of the Southwest, the conifers — such as ponderosa pines or Douglas fir — are having difficulty growing back compared to their hardy competition. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ponderosa pine

Word History

Etymology

New Latin ponderosa, specific epithet of Pinus ponderosa, from Latin, feminine of ponderosus ponderous

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ponderosa pine was in 1878

Rhymes for ponderosa pine

See All Rhymes for ponderosa pine

Browse Nearby Words

ponderomotive
ponderosa pine
ponderosity
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ponderosa pine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ponderosa%20pine. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

ponderosa pine

noun
pon·​der·​o·​sa pine ˌpän-də-ˌrō- sə- How to pronounce ponderosa pine (audio)
-zə-
: a tall timber pine of western North America with long needles in groups of 2 or 3
also : its strong reddish straight-grained wood

More from Merriam-Webster on ponderosa pine

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ponderosa pine

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of jilt

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All