maple

noun

ma·​ple ˈmā-pəl 

: any of a genus (Acer of the family Sapindaceae, the soapberry family) of chiefly deciduous trees or shrubs with opposite leaves and a fruit of two united samaras

also : the hard light-colored close-grained wood of a maple used especially for flooring and furniture

Examples of maple in a Sentence

The maple leaf is an emblem of Canada.

a table made of maple

Recent Examples on the Web

Turkey dinner: Bone-in or boneless turkey, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, maple pecan mashed sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce. —Gege Reed, The Courier-Journal, 9 Dec. 2024

The garden that separates the main house from the casita, designed by Double Green Landscapes, melds Japanese and California influences with a variety of maple and ginkgo trees, giant timber bamboo, bower wattle, and leopard plants. —Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 5 Dec. 2024

Spritz Cookies Variations To mix up the flavor and presentation of these spritz cookies, keep these variations in mind: Extract: Swap almond extract with peppermint, maple, or citrus extracts for a unique flavor profile. —Micah A Leal, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2024

Elsewhere in the roll, Abrams posed in front of a mural of a maple leaf and hugged Swift on stage amid other shots from the Toronto shows. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English mapul-; akin to Old Norse mǫpurr maple

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing maple

• bird's-eye maple
• hard maple
• Japanese maple
• maple sugar
• maple syrup
• Norway maple
• red maple
• rock maple
• silver maple
• sugar maple
• tiger maple
• vine maple

Kids Definition

maple

noun

ma·​ple ˈmā-pəl 

: any of a group of trees having deeply notched opposite leaves, dry fruits with two wings, and hard light-colored wood and including some from which maple syrup and maple sugar are obtained

also : the wood of a maple