North Amer. & W. Indian. [f. LIGHT sb. (or LIGHT v.2).] a. Any wood used in lighting a fire; in the southern states, resinous pine-wood. b. Used as a name for various trees (e.g., Amyris balsamifera CANDLE-WOOD) which burn with a brilliant flame.
[1685: see prec.]
1693. Phil. Trans., XVII. 620. The Lignum Rhodium Tree, called by the Planters of Barbados Lightwood.
1705. R. Beverley, Virginia, III. iii. § 11 (1855), 136. They [Indians] generally burn pine or lightwood (that is, the fat knots of dead pine).
1763. W. Robinson, in W. Roberts, Nat. Hist. Florida, 99. Oak,… cabbage, lightwood, and mangrove trees.
1859. Bartlett, Dict. Amer., Lightwood, pine wood as opposed to slower burning wood.
1888. E. Eggleston, in Century Mag., XXIX. 880–1. The bright-blazing pitch-pine, called … ‘lightwood’ at the South.
attrib. 1856. Olmsted, Slave States, 450. Carrying light-wood torches.
1859. K. Cornwallis, New World, I. 176. The lightwood tree grew to a height of a hundred feet.
