Illustration of yew
- yew 1a
1
a
: any of a genus (Taxus of the family Taxaceae, the yew family) of evergreen gymnospermous trees and shrubs with stiff linear leaves and seeds surrounded by a fleshy red aril: such as
(1)
: a long-lived Eurasian tree or shrub (T. baccata)
called also English yew
(2)
: a low straggling bush (T. canadensis) of the eastern U.S. and Canada
(3)
b
: the wood of a yew
especially
: the heavy fine-grained wood of the English yew
2
archaic
: an archery bow made of yew
Examples of yew in a Sentence
a bow made of yew
Recent Examples on the Web
The lawn has been mowed to create concentric ridged circles; Charlotte’s dazzling yew topiaries, shaped to resemble waves, peacocks, and more, provide structure.
—
Amy Waldman, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2026
Most of those shrubs are of just a few kinds — standard varieties of yew, boxwood, juniper and arborvitae.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
More compact than other Japanese plum yews, layers of gently arching branches lend Yewtopia® a graceful, vase-like form.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 Jan. 2026
Skip cosmetic pruning of conifers during the coldest part of winter and delay shaping trims for ornamental yews, junipers, boxwoods, and tree-type conifers like dwarf spruces until after the new flush of growth in spring.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for yew
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.
Amy Waldman, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2026
Most of those shrubs are of just a few kinds — standard varieties of yew, boxwood, juniper and arborvitae.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
More compact than other Japanese plum yews, layers of gently arching branches lend Yewtopia® a graceful, vase-like form.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 Jan. 2026
Skip cosmetic pruning of conifers during the coldest part of winter and delay shaping trims for ornamental yews, junipers, boxwoods, and tree-type conifers like dwarf spruces until after the new flush of growth in spring.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for yew
Cite this Entry
“Yew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yew. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
yew
noun1
: any of a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs that are gymnosperms with short stiff flattened needlelike leaves and seeds having a red juicy covering
2
: the wood of a yew
especially
: the heavy fine-grained wood of an Old World yew that is used especially for bows and small articles
Medical Definition
yew
noun
: any of a genus (Taxus of the family Taxaceae, the yew family) of evergreen trees and shrubs with stiff linear leaves and seeds surrounded by a fleshy red aril
especially
: one (T. brevifolia) of the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada whose bark yields the antineoplastic drug paclitaxel
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
