Osier

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈəʊzɪə/

Definitions

1. A specific type of willow known for its bending qualities is mainly used in making baskets and other woven items
2. This term describes a willow variety that is valued for its flexibility and is frequently utilized in crafts like basket weaving
3. A type of willow tree whose slender, flexible branches are commonly harvested for weaving purposes

Etymology: Osier comes from French "osier," the name for the basket willow, and English borrowed it in the Middle Ages to describe the same plant and its pliant shoots. The shoots were the valued part: cut young, stripped and dried or soaked, they could be bent into baskets, fences and wickerwork without snapping. That practical use is why the tree's name ended up attached to the material itself rather than to the trunk or leaves. The French word is itself related to the English "withy," another name for the same flexible willow twigs, so the two terms describe the same plant from different linguistic traditions. English kept both, though "osier" today is the more specialised term, mostly used for the willows grown and cut for basketry.