Definition of: red cedar

1. An American juniper tree (genus Juniperus) of the cypress family, having a fine–grained, durable wood of a bright– or dark–red color resembling cedar; especially, the eastern (J. virginiana) and the western (J. scopulorum) red cedar.
2. The giant arborvitae (Thuja plicata) of the western United States, having a light, brittle but durable heartwood: known in the lumber trade and popularly as western red cedar.
3. The wood of any of these trees.