sweet gum

noun

1

: a North American tree (Liquidambar styraciflua of the family Altingiaceae, the sweet gum family) of the witch-hazel family with palmately lobed glossy green leaves, corky twigs, a round spiny brown fruit cluster, and hard wood

2

: the smooth reddish-brown wood of the sweet gum

Illustration of sweet gum

• sweet gum 1

Examples of sweet gum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s no doubt sweet gum trees (Liquidambar styraciflua) put on a stunning fall display. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 July 2026

Also, most sweet gums and sycamores sustain minimal damage. — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2026

Scattering pine cones or the spikey balls off liquidambar (sweet gum) trees also make flower beds less appealing. — Joan Morris, Mercury News, 5 Jan. 2026

But the most spectacular show comes in October, with the deep plum and garnet hues of the hickories, sweet gums, and red and sugar maples. — Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 25 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sweet gum

• become
• checksum
• humdrum
• income
• outcome
• pisum
• succumb
• therefrom
• wherefrom
• abomasum
• bum
• chum

Kids Definition

sweet gum

noun

: a North American tree that has lobed leaves, hard wood, and a long-stemmed woody round fruit

also : its wood

Medical Definition

sweet gum

noun

: a North American tree of the genus Liquidambar (L. styraciflua) with a round spiny brown fruit cluster and an inner bark that is the source of American storax