Osiers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of willow tree frequently used for making baskets and other woven goods
2. Generally, any flexible and slender tree that can be used in crafting or construction
3. Referring to certain species of willow that thrive in wet environments and provide material for traditional crafts

Etymology: "Osiers" is the plural of "osier," so the word traces back to a single French term. "Osier" was borrowed from French, where "osier" meant basket willow or withy, the pliant willow whose young shoots were cut and woven into baskets. The English word keeps that same practical sense: the trees were valued above all for their flexible rods, which is why the plural form tends to appear in talk of basketry and wickerwork.