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Definition of "burl" [burl]

  • A knot, lump, or slub in yarn or cloth. (noun)
  • A large rounded outgrowth on the trunk or branch of a tree. (noun)
  • The wood cut from such an outgrowth, often used decoratively as a veneer. (noun)
  • To dress or finish (cloth) by removing knots, lumps, slubs, or loose threads. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "burl" in a sentence
  • "Natural regeneration of burl occurs when ripe fruits naturally fall on the ground or are dispersed by animals such as fruit bats."
  • "I have an old Austrian violin that has wood with a kind of burl used for the sides."
  • "Tony leaned toward me and moved his arm across the burl console."