Timber
/ˈtɪm.bər/noun
Wood prepared for building or carpentry; also standing trees considered as a source of wood.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from a Germanic root tied to building materials, and English also uses it in the shout “timber!” when a tree or mast is falling — a word literally fused with the danger of collapse.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dem-
“to build, house, or arrange”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*timrą
“building material, wood for construction”
Old English
OE
timber
“building material; structure; house”
Old Norse
ON
timbur
“building timber, wood”
Middle English
English
timber
“wood prepared for building”
Modern English
English
timber
“wood suitable for construction; standing trees as a source of lumber”