elm

noun \ ˈelm \

|Updated on: 8 Aug 2018

Definition of elm

1 : any of a genus (Ulmus of the family Ulmaceae, the elm family) of usually large deciduous north temperate-zone trees with alternate stipulate leaves and fruit that is a samara

2 : the wood of an elm

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Recent Examples of elm from the Web

The best tall-growing trees would be Shumard red oak, bur oak, Chinese pistachio and cedar elm.

— neil sperry, San Antonio Express-News, "Once vincas succumb to fungus, that bed is dead to them," 22 June 2018
The elms of Central Park were young in 1905, when a musical businessman founded the Naumburg Orchestral Concerts.

— The New Yorker, "In Central Park, Naumburg Orchestral Concerts Are a Gift to the City," 13 July 2018
The best tall-growing trees would be Shumard red oak, bur oak, Chinese pistachio and cedar elm.

— neil sperry, San Antonio Express-News, "Once vincas succumb to fungus, that bed is dead to them," 22 June 2018
The best tall-growing trees would be Shumard red oak, bur oak, Chinese pistachio and cedar elm.

— neil sperry, San Antonio Express-News, "Once vincas succumb to fungus, that bed is dead to them," 22 June 2018
The best tall-growing trees would be Shumard red oak, bur oak, Chinese pistachio and cedar elm.

— neil sperry, San Antonio Express-News, "Fungus can kill off periwinkles again and again," 8 June 2018
Pecans, oaks, cedar elms and pistachios will all sprout as volunteers.

— neil sperry, star-telegram, "Volunteering is great but 'volunteer' plants are a whole different story," 1 June 2018
On the morning after that late August race, dozens of fans clustered beneath century-old elms and oaks and stood next to the most famous American thoroughbred in nearly four decades.

— tim layden, SI.com, "Can Justify Overcome Obstacles to Move Closer to History at the Preakness?," 17 May 2018
Just moments after finding the only morel of the day near a cluster of elm trees, Zimmerman and Maggie walked a few steps and surveyed the forested landscape.

— paul a. smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin man encounters rare white deer fawn on Sauk County morel mushroom hunt," 15 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'elm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.