woody
gb/wˈʊdi/ us/wˈʊdi/
B2
English
~ 8800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
covered with trees; wooded
Describes land that has many trees, like a small forest.
Usage pattern:
a woody [area/place/hillside]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *wood* instead of *woody* to describe land (e.g., '*a wood area*'). Use *woody* or, more commonly, *wooded* to describe land with many trees, and *wood* to describe the material or the forest itself.
Synonyms
wooded (The most direct synonym; slightly more common in descriptions of landscapes and maps.)
|
forest(ed) (Suggests denser and usually larger tree coverage than 'woody'.)
Antonyms
treeless (Direct opposite, focusing on the lack of trees on the land.)
|
open (Suggests land without trees, such as fields or grassland.)
Collocations
woody area
|woody hillside
|woody slopes
|woody vegetation
|woody landscape
|woody valley
Themes
nature
|geography
Examples
- The cabin was hidden in a woody valley far from the main road.
- They hiked through a woody area before reaching the open fields.
- Satellite images show that the region is far more woody than it was fifty years ago.
Learner examples
- We walked through a woody area near the town.
- Many animals live in the woody hills behind the village.
- The park has a woody part and a large open field.
adjective
B2
property
2
having hard, wood-like stems
Describes plants that have hard stems like a tree or bush, not soft green stems like many flowers.
Usage pattern:
[a] woody [plant/stem/shrub]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse *woody* with *wooden*. *Woody* is used for living plants or plant tissue, while *wooden* usually describes objects made from processed wood (a wooden table, a wooden chair).
Synonyms
ligneous (A technical, scientific term used mainly in botany instead of in everyday speech.)
|
hard-stemmed (More descriptive and informal; less common as a fixed term.)
Antonyms
herbaceous (Technical botanical opposite, describing plants with soft, non-woody stems.)
|
soft-stemmed (Plain descriptive opposite used in non-technical contexts.)
Collocations
woody plants
|woody stems
|woody shrub
|woody tissue
|woody vegetation
|woody growth
Themes
nature
|science
Examples
- Roses are woody plants that can live for many years if properly cared for.
- As the seedling matures, its stem becomes thicker and woody.
- The forest floor was dotted with small woody shrubs and saplings.
Learner examples
- A tree is a woody plant.
- This flower has a soft stem, but that bush has a woody stem.
- Some garden plants die each year, but woody plants can live for a long time.
adjective
B2
property
3
tough and fibrous like wood (food)
Describes food that is hard, dry, and stringy, and feels like wood when you chew it.
Usage pattern:
a woody [carrot/asparagus/stalk]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to use *woody* to praise a food's strong flavor. In food descriptions, *woody* is almost always negative and refers to an unpleasant hard, stringy texture, not a good taste.
Synonyms
fibrous (Emphasizes stringiness more than hardness; slightly more neutral and technical-sounding.)
|
tough (A broader word for food that is hard to chew; does not always suggest a wood-like texture.)
Antonyms
tender (Common food word describing something soft and easy to chew.)
|
juicy (Opposite in mouthfeel; suggests moist, pleasant texture.)
Collocations
woody asparagus
|woody carrots
|woody stems
|woody texture
|dry and woody
Themes
food
|daily_life
|food_drink
Examples
- The asparagus was overcooked and had turned woody at the ends.
- Peel away the woody outer layer of the broccoli stem before slicing it.
- Older carrots can develop a woody core that many cooks remove.
Learner examples
- These green beans are too woody to eat.
- Cut off the woody part at the bottom of the asparagus.
- The soup tastes bad because the carrots are old and woody.
adjective
technical
C1
property
4
having a flavor of wood or oak
Describes a drink, often wine or whisky, that tastes or smells a bit like wood because it was kept in wooden barrels.
Usage pattern:
a woody [flavor/aroma/wine]
Common mistake:
Learners may assume *woody* in tasting notes is always negative. In specialist contexts it can be positive or negative; the tone depends on the speaker or writer.
Synonyms
oaky (Common specialist tasting term, especially for wine and whiskey; more specific than *woody*.)
|
wood-infused (Descriptive and less technical, but not a fixed tasting term.)
Antonyms
fresh (In tasting notes, suggests clean, bright flavors without heavy barrel influence.)
|
fruity (Common contrasting tasting note, emphasizing fruit flavors over wood-derived ones.)
Collocations
woody notes
|woody aroma
|woody flavors
|slightly woody
|overly woody
|woody character
Themes
food
|drinks
|food_drink
Examples
- The Chardonnay has a distinctly woody character from long barrel aging.
- Some drinkers find the wine too woody, masking the fruit flavors.
- The whisky's woody notes come from years spent in oak casks.
Learner examples
- This wine has a strong woody taste from the barrel.
- I like red wine that is fruity, not too woody.
- The whisky smells woody because it was in an oak barrel.
adjective
technical
C1
property
5
having a warm, wooden-sounding tone
Describes sound that is warm, soft, and natural, like the sound of a wooden guitar or drum.
Usage pattern:
a woody [tone/sound/bass]
Common mistake:
Learners may think *woody* is negative because it literally relates to wood. In music and audio, *woody* is usually a positive, specialist term praising a natural, warm sound.
Synonyms
warm (Very common audio term; slightly broader and less specific than *woody*.)
|
earthy (Suggests natural, unpolished quality; sometimes overlaps with *woody* in music talk.)
Antonyms
bright (Audio term for sounds with more treble and sharpness, opposite in tone color to *woody*.)
|
tinny (Describes thin, metallic sound, contrasting with the depth and resonance of *woody*.)
Collocations
woody tone
|woody sound
|woody timbre
|deep and woody
|warm, woody bass
Themes
music
|technology
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- Jazz players love the rich, woody tone of this upright bass.
- The engineer adjusted the mic position to capture a more woody sound from the acoustic guitar.
- These speakers give the piano a natural, slightly woody character.
Learner examples
- The old guitar has a warm, woody sound.
- I like a deep, woody bass in music.
- This drum is metal, so its sound is sharp, not woody.
Noun
vulgar
C1
state
6
slang: an erection (penis)
Very informal and rude slang word for a hard penis when a man is sexually excited.
Usage pattern:
get/have [a] woody
Common mistake:
Learners may think this word is playful and harmless because it is used in movies or among friends. In many situations it is still considered vulgar or childish and should be avoided in polite or professional contexts.
Synonyms
hard-on (Very common slang with the same meaning; also vulgar and used mainly in spoken or very informal contexts.)
|
boner (Another frequent slang term; can sound more childish or humorous.)
Antonyms
flaccid (Medical/technical term describing a penis that is soft and not erect.)
|
soft (Plain everyday opposite, focusing on the absence of stiffness.)
Collocations
get a woody
|have a woody
|give someone a woody
|sporting a woody
Themes
sexuality
|slang
|body
|health
Examples
- He was embarrassed because he suddenly got a woody in the middle of class.
- Jokes about having a woody are common in some teen movies.
- The scene was cut from the film because it included a crude line about getting a woody.
Learner examples
- The word *woody* for an erection is very informal and rude.
- Do not use the word *woody* in polite conversation.
- Teen movies sometimes use the word *woody* as a joke.
Grammar
Dictionary form
woody
IPA
GB/wˈʊdi/
US/wˈʊdi/
Syllables & stress
woody (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (woody)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: woody
- Comparative: woodier
- Superlative: woodiest
Word family
Expressions
get a woody
1/ɡˈɛt ə wˈʊdi/
idiom
vulgar
to get an erection (slang)
To have the penis become hard because someone is sexually excited; very informal and rude slang.
Examples
- He joked that he always gets a woody when he sees her.
- The line about getting a woody was removed to make the show less explicit.
have a woody
1/hˈæv ə wˈʊdi/
idiom
vulgar
to have an erection (slang)
To be in a state where the penis is hard because of sexual excitement; very informal and rude slang.
Examples
- He was clearly having a woody and tried to hide it under the table.
- Teen comedies often have jokes about guys having a woody at the wrong time.
sport a woody
1/spˈɔɹt ə wˈʊdi/
idiom
vulgar
to obviously have an erection
To clearly or openly have a hard penis because of sexual excitement, so that other people can notice; very informal and rude slang.
Examples
- The character was obviously sporting a woody, which was played for laughs in the scene.
- He felt awkward, worried he might be sporting a woody in his tight jeans.