What does "bamboo" mean?
A fast-growing grass of the Bambusoideae subfamily, characterised by its woody, hollow, round, straight, jointed stem.
Bamboo
/bæmˈbu/ adj, noun, verb, slang
adj, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A fast-growing grass of the Bambusoideae subfamily, characterised by its woody, hollow, round, straight, jointed stem.
- Grammar: bamboo is listed as adj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: bamboo plant, bamboo-based, bamboo-constructed, bamboo-derived.
- Useful contrasts: metal, nonbamboo, plastic.
- Usage evidence: The bamboo gave but did not break.
How to use "bamboo"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "bamboo" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "bamboo" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "bamboo" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "bamboo" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "bamboo" is acting as adj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bamboo plant" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "bamboo", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A fast-growing grass of the Bambusoideae subfamily, characterised by its woody, hollow, round, straight, jointed stem. countable, uncountable
"However, the late Hsia and the Shang were considerably warmer, possibly comparable to Hang-chou today, an area where bamboo proliferates."
- 2 woody tropical grass having hollow woody stems; mature canes used for construction and furniture wordnet
- 3 The wood of the bamboo plant as a material for building, furniture, etc. uncountable
- 4 the hard woody stems of bamboo plants; used in construction and crafts and fishing poles wordnet
- 5 A stick, rod, pole, or cane of bamboo, especially one used as a vessel for liquids, or as a tool for corporal punishment. countable
"It was evident that Europeans seldom came here, for numbers of women skeltered away as I walked through the village and one girl about ten or twelve years old, who had just brought a bamboo full of water from the river, threw it down with a cry of horror and alarm the moment she caught sight of me, turned around and jumped into the stream."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A didgeridoo. countable, slang, uncountable
- 7 A member of the British military or British East India Company who spent so much time in Indonesia, India, or Malaysia that they never went back home. countable, slang, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To flog with a bamboo cane. transitive
"[…] the beadle is punished by fine, and sometimes bambooed, if robberies are too frequent within his jurisdiction, or if he fails to secure the person of any malefactor particularly wanted by his superior officers."
- 2 To paint (furniture, etc.) to give it the appearance of bamboo. transitive
"The craze for bambooing furniture and accessories was one of many popular paint techniques in the 18th century and early Victorian era."
- 3 To penetrate sexually. India, slang
"If you're just a girl from Lucknow, with no fluid cash, you'll be just one more among thousands going from producer to producer by auto-rickshaw, and every photographer who agrees to take a picture for your portfolio will want to introduce you to his bed upstairs in the loft. And what you'll get out of all this in the end is a lot of bambooing and maybe a dance or two in his videos."
Adjective
- 1 Made of the wood of the bamboo. not-comparable
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The bamboo gave but did not break."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "bamboo"?
Common synonyms include: bamboo plant, bamboo-based, bamboo-constructed, bamboo-derived, bamboo-inspired, bamboo-like.
How do you use "bamboo" in a sentence?
The bamboo gave but did not break.
How do you pronounce "bamboo"?
Pronounced /bæmˈbu/.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Dravidian *wē Proto-Dravidian *mpu Proto-Dravidian *wēmpu Tamil வேம்பு (vēmpu)bor. ▲ Proto-Dravidian *wēmpu Kannada ಬಂಬು (bambu)bor. Malay bambubor. Portuguese bambubor. Dutch bamboebor. English bamboo Borrowed from Dutch bamboe, from Portuguese bambu, from Malay bambu, from Kannada ಬಂಬು (bambu), variant form of ಬೇವು (bēvu). Cognate with Malayalam വേപ്പ് (vēppŭ), Telugu వేప (vēpa), from Proto-Dravidian *wēmpu (“neem”).