sugarcane

noun

sug·​ar·​cane ˈshu̇-gər-ˌkān How to pronounce sugarcane (audio)
: a stout tall perennial grass (Saccharum officinarum) native to tropical southeast Asia that has a large terminal panicle and is widely grown in warm regions as a source of sugar

Illustration of sugarcane

Illustration of sugarcane

Examples of sugarcane in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What’s more, many of the merchant cargo ships that would normally have transported sugarcane from Hawai’i, the nation’s largest domestic producer of the raw material, had been repurposed into military vessels. Diana Hubbell, Popular Science, 1 Oct. 2025 The boot comes in a wide range of colors (Hale, for one, likes its black version), with an upper made of tactile suede, the brand’s signature sheepskin lining, and a sugarcane EVA outsole manufactured with your fluid motions and sustainability in mind. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2025 Designs are inspired by Bad Bunny's iconography, featuring cultural symbols like pavas (traditional hats worn by rural sugarcane farmers) and Monobloc chairs seen in everyday Puerto Rican life in backyards across the island—and featured on the cover of Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Cat Sposato, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025 Melchor was a foreman on a sugarcane plantation, and Luisa was a laundress. Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sugarcane

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sugarcane was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Sugarcane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sugarcane. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

sugarcane

noun
sug·​ar·​cane ˈshu̇g-ər-ˌkān How to pronounce sugarcane (audio)
: a tall tropical grass that has a thick jointed stem and is widely grown in warm regions as a source of sugar
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