sugar maple

noun

1

: a maple (Acer saccharum) of eastern North America with 3- to 5-lobed leaves, hard close-grained wood much used for cabinetwork, and sap that is the chief source of maple syrup and maple sugar

called also rock maple, hard maple

2

: any of several maples (especially Acer nigrum and A. grandidentatum) often considered subspecies of the sugar maple

Examples of sugar maple in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Still, the researchers identified significant variance among the species: Black cherry, red maple and white ash tended to experience peak coloration earlier, while oaks and sugar maples blazed later. —Benjamin Cassidy, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Oct. 2024

Here are the top destinations for 2024: Vermont: Known for its vast forests of sugar maples, Vermont is perhaps the most famous state for fall foliage. —Judy Koutsky, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024

Common trees in Brown County include the American beech, sugar maple, black walnut, shagbark hickory and white ash. —Alysa Guffey, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Sep. 2024

For instance, the maple and sugar maple, which produce brilliant yellow and orange colors, are often among the earliest to change color, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. —Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1731, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sugar maple

noun

: a maple tree of eastern North America with hard wood that is much used for cabinetwork and sap that is the chief source of maple syrup and maple sugar