ironbark

English

Alternative forms

• iron-bark (obsolete)

Etymology

From iron +‎ bark.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈʌɪənbɑːk/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Noun

ironbark (plural ironbarks)

1. (chiefly Australia) Any of several unrelated eucalypts that have dark, deeply furrowed bark. [from 18th c.]
2. (chiefly Australia) The hard wood of these trees, as used in building and construction. [from 19th c.]
   • 1901, “Progress in the Fruit Industry of Queensland”, in The Agricultural Journal and Mining Record‎^[1], volume 4, page 16:

     The tents and sheets are made of the best Canadian duck, tanned for the purpose of preservation with a strong extract of iron-bark and wattle-bark.

   • 1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber, published 2003, page 319:

     When he had trimmed a bit of ironbark to size, or knocked the worst splinters off a split fence post, he would swing it around his head a few times before crashing it down on the rails.

Derived terms

• silver-leaved ironbark