any of several oak trees, as Quercus rubra, or Q. falcata, of North America.
2.
the hard, cross-grained wood of these trees.
Origin
1625-35, Americanism
Examples from the web for red oak
We see a red oak tree in our backyard or a cane toad at our hotel-room door, but the names fool us.
Each wedge goes into a jar filled with red oak sawdust mixed with rye seed or red-oak seed, and the jar is chilled.
The house is made of local sandstone and the interior features beautiful woodwork carved from cherry, maple, walnut and red oak.
Oak wilt affects trees in both the red oak and white oak groups.
Each species is designated as either a white oak or red oak group species.
Diseased red oak logs can harbor the fungal mats full of oak wilt spores.
Historically, this area was a mix of northern hardwoods with a predominance of red oak and white pine.
Sold as red oak, it is used for crossties, rough construction and pulpwood.
red oak and white oak were both higher in the middle grades, probably reflecting some reporting of tie logs in that category.
red oak borer infestations continue to wreak havoc, even in well managed timber stands containing predominantly red oak species.
British Dictionary definitions for red oak
red oak
noun
1.
any of several deciduous oak trees, esp Quercus borealis, native to North America, having bristly leaves with triangular lobes and acorns with small cups