sycamore

noun

syc·​a·​more ˈsi-kə-ˌmȯr 

1

or less commonly sycomore

ˈsi-kə-ˌmȯr 

: a fig tree (Ficus sycomorus) of Africa and the Middle East that is the sycamore of Scripture and has edible fruit similar but inferior to the common fig

2

: a Eurasian maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) with long racemes of showy yellowish-green flowers that is widely planted as a shade tree

3

: plane entry 4

especially : a very large spreading tree (Platanus occidentalis) chiefly of the eastern and central U.S. with 3- to 5-lobed broadly ovate leaves

Examples of sycamore in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Colors glow from the cottonwood, sycamore, walnut and aspen trees along Oak Creek. —Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 9 Oct. 2025

Some of the terrain includes a waterfall, California live oak trees, sycamore trees, volcanic rocks, a freshwater marsh and locals such as Pacific tree frogs, mallard ducks, raccoons and coyotes. —Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025

Sedona’s version, built around a historic sycamore grove, includes 14 galleries, six jewelry stores and 22 specialty shops — home to functional Southwestern pottery, Italian wood inlay music boxes, New Age crystals, and more. —New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025

Departing from its 1905 depot like a moving postcard, the train follows the Toccoa River, passing sycamores and sourwoods, rolling hills, and farms along the way. —Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sikamour, sicomore, borrowed from Anglo-French sicamour, borrowed from Latin sȳcomorus, borrowed from Greek sȳkómoros "sycamore fig" (sȳkómoron "fruit of the sycamore fig"), probably alteration by folk etymology of sȳkámīnos sycamine, with the ending conformed to móron "black mulberry, blackberry" — more at mulberry

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sycamore

• albacore
• alongshore
• antiwar
• anymore
• blastopore
• carnivore
• commodore
• dinosaur
• evermore
• furthermore
• guarantor
• herbivore

Kids Definition

sycamore

noun

syc·​a·​more ˈsik-ə-ˌmō(ə)r 

-ˌmȯ(ə)r

1

: a Eurasian maple with yellowish green flowers that is widely planted as a shade tree

2

: a large spreading tree of the eastern and central U.S. that has light-brown bark peeling off in thin flakes and small round brown fruits hanging on long stalks