HOW TO PRONOUNCE
bamboo
/bæmˈbu/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:31
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What does bamboo mean?
noun
- Any of the fast-growing grasses of the Bambusoideae subfamily, characterized by its woody, hollow, round, straight, jointed stem.
- Wood of the bamboo plant as a material for building, furniture, etc.
- A stick, rod, pole, or cane of bamboo, especially one used as a vessel for liquids, or as a tool for corporal punishment.
More meanings (6)
noun
- (slang) A didgeridoo.
- (slang) A member of the British military or British East India Company who spent so much time in Indonesia, India, or Malaysia that they never returned home.
adjective
- Made of the wood of the bamboo.
verb
- To flog with a bamboo cane.
- To paint (furniture, etc.) to give it the appearance of bamboo.
- (slang) To penetrate sexually.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/bæmˈbu/
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
The doorway at the back of the shop was veiled by a portiere of beads and thin bamboo sections threaded on strings.
The two brothers ran up the verandah steps, and were soon seated at a light bamboo stand, with the backgammon-board between them.
More book examples (3)
Darkness had almost descended when he rode into the village and stopped before a small grass-covered bamboo dwelling where the cook-preacher lived.
The other bamboo I set up in the middle of the yard, all by itself, some few steps from any outstanding object.
The latter are reached by means of tall scaffoldings of strong poles of bamboo, often more than a hundred feet in height.