Withy

//ˈwɪð.i// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An osier (Salix viminalis), a type of willow.
  2. 2
    strong flexible twig wordnet
  3. 3
    A long flexible twig of the osier; a withe.

    "In the midst of the meadow was a space marked out with withies sixty paces either way for the wrastling ground."

Adjective
  1. 1
    Flexible, like a withe. archaic

    "The Merlons, to the end that they may be good, ought to be made of Earth, the most eaſie to be tempered that may be: And this Earth ought alſo to be mixed with Withy Twigs, or Brambles, provided they take Root, after which they are to be lined with good Turff."

Synonyms

All synonyms
flexibleflexiblewillowwillowwindingwithe

Example

More examples

"When I come to the end of one withy, I pick up another, matching narrow end to narrow, and thick end to thick."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Old English wīþiġ.

Etymology 2

From withe + -y.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.