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

Residents love this trail because of its wet coolness in the summer; its bright orange sugar maples in autumn, the contrast of green pines and white snow in the winter. —Sophie Ungerleider, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Dec. 2024

In addition to the cute homes, take time to appreciate the dense tree canopy with native species such as white pine, sugar maple, and white spruce. —Miriam Porter, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024

So have Little Mama, Big Bertha, Persephone, Doug and Grant — just some of the many sugar maple trees on Northwestern University’s campus that have provided not only sap, but also data to students doing a course on maple syrup and climate change. —Melina Walling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024

Maple trees include sugar maple and red maple, with sugar maples turning bright red and red maples going from vivid red to orange to bright yellow. —Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 24 Oct. 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