Heartwood

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Heartwood \Heart"wood`\ (h[aum]rt"w[oo^]d`), n.
     The hard, central part of the trunk of a tree, consisting of
     the old and matured wood, and usually differing in color from
     the outer layers. It is technically known as {duramen}, and
     distinguished from the softer {sapwood} or {alburnum}.
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  heartwood
       n : the older inactive central wood of a tree or woody plant;
           usually darker and denser than the surrounding sapwood
           [syn: {duramen}]