ponderosa pine

noun

pon·​der·​o·​sa pine ˌpän-də-ˈrō-sə- 

-zə-

: a tall pine (Pinus ponderosa) of western North America with long needles usually in groups of two or three

also : its strong reddish straight-grained wood

Examples of ponderosa pine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mesquite and acacia trees ribbon the lower elevations, while Douglas firs and ponderosa pine line the upper reaches. —Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026

Large sugar pines and ponderosa pines that died during droughts are also removed with chainsaws. —Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026

And this time, the pine beetle is showing up in ponderosa pine. —Alan Gionet, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026

Set within 860 acres of ponderosa pines, YMCA of the Rockies–Estes Park Center is bordered on three sides by Rocky Mountain National Park. —Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 21 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin ponderosa, specific epithet of Pinus ponderosa, from Latin, feminine of ponderosus ponderous

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ponderosa pine

• aminophylline
• azathioprine
• chlorpheniramine
• cholestyramine
• cryptocrystalline
• diphenhydramine
• hydroxyproline
• intercrystalline
• microcrystalline
• monocrystalline
• nanocrystalline
• neuroendocrine

Kids Definition

ponderosa pine

noun

pon·​der·​o·​sa pine ˌpän-də-ˌrō- sə- 

-zə-

: a tall timber pine of western North America with long needles in groups of 2 or 3

also : its strong reddish straight-grained wood