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Added 10 October 2026

pollard

/ˈpɒl.əd/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about pollard at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A pruned tree; the wood of such trees.
A buck deer that has shed its antlers.
A hornless variety of domestic animal, such as cattle or goats.

verb

To prune a tree heavily, cutting branches back to the trunk, so that it produces dense new growth.

Origin

From Middle English poll (“head”) + the pejorative suffix -ard (“person characterized by or associated with something, often in a negative way”). The suffix has the same meaning as in drunkard and coward. When used as a verb, it is often used to mean a cut head, which originates from the terms usage in cattle, where "pollarded" is used to mean "headed," as opposed to horned.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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