English▸ noun (also oak tree) a tree that bears acorns as fruit, and typically has lobed deciduous leaves. Oaks are common in many north temperate forests and are an important source of hard and durable wood used chiefly in construction, furniture, and (formerly) shipbuilding.
Genus Quercus, family Fagaceae: many species, including the deciduous Eastern white oak (Q. alba) and Eastern black oak (Q. velutina) and the evergreen live oak (Q. virginiana).
▪ a smoky flavor or aroma characteristic of wine aged in barrels made from oak wood.
– ORIGIN Old English āc, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch eik and German Eiche.