bamboo

noun

bam·​boo (ˌ)bam-ˈbü  ˈbam-ˌbü 

plural bamboos

often attributive

: any of various woody or arborescent grasses (as of the genera Bambusa, Arundinaria, and Dendrocalamus of the subfamily Bambusoideae) of tropical and temperate regions having hollow stems, thick rhizomes, and shoots that are used for food

also : the jointed stem of bamboo used especially for building, furniture, and utensils

Illustration of bamboo

Examples of bamboo in a Sentence

Bamboo grows in the grove near the house.

We cut down some bamboos.

Recent Examples on the Web

The remodeled kitchen has bamboo floors and stainless appliances, and a finished basement offers a separate entrance and a kitchenette. —The Week Us, TheWeek, 4 May 2026

Graves are dug by hand and bodies are only buried in caskets or shrouds made of biodegradable materials like bamboo or cotton. —Dorany Pineda, Fortune, 2 May 2026

Graves are dug by hand and bodies are only buried in caskets or shrouds made of biodegradable materials like bamboo or cotton. —ABC News, 1 May 2026

Viscose is a common material derived from bamboo, which sleep experts consider a cooling sheet fabric. —Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Malay bambu

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bamboo

• bamboo curtain
• bamboo shoots

Rhymes for bamboo

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• beaucoup
• bijou
• breakthrough

Kids Definition

bamboo

noun

bam·​boo bam-ˈbü 

plural bamboos

: any of various chiefly tropical tall woody grasses including some with strong hollow stems used for building, furniture, or utensils

also : the strong woody stem of bamboo

bamboo adjective