tan oak
noun
: a U.S. Pacific coast evergreen tree (Lithocarpus densiflora) of the beech family that has erect staminate catkins and furrowed brown bark rich in tannins
Examples of tan oak in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Still, the forest is mostly green again, after vast stands of Douglas fir and tan oak were reduced to charred trunks and ash.
—
Kurtis Alexander,
San Francisco Chronicle,
19 Feb. 2026
Two common trees at the park, Douglas fir and tan oak, don’t survive fire well and are likely dead, according to the Sempervirens Fund.
—
Francine Kiefer,
The Christian Science Monitor,
28 Aug. 2020
Researchers estimate that 50 million tan oak trees have died from the disease.
—
Peter Fimrite,
SFChronicle.com,
7 Nov. 2019
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Kurtis Alexander,
San Francisco Chronicle,
19 Feb. 2026
Two common trees at the park, Douglas fir and tan oak, don’t survive fire well and are likely dead, according to the Sempervirens Fund.
—
Francine Kiefer,
The Christian Science Monitor,
28 Aug. 2020
Researchers estimate that 50 million tan oak trees have died from the disease.
—
Peter Fimrite,
SFChronicle.com,
7 Nov. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Tan oak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tan%20oak. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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