sugarcane

noun

sug·​ar·​cane ˈshu̇-gər-ˌkān 

: 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

Examples of sugarcane in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Writing in his journal, Cook noted that the Rapanui grew sweet potatoes, yams, taro, plantains, and sugarcane, all of which his crew had eaten elsewhere in the Pacific. —Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026

The islanders kept chickens and grew taro, yams, sugarcane, sweet potatoes, and bananas. —Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026

Blackstrap molasses is the darkest, thickest, and most bitter type of molasses, resulting from a third boiling of sugarcane juice. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2026

In exchange, Europeans brought to America cattle, chickens, honey bees, bananas, rice, barley, garlic, oats, rye, and sugarcane. —John Mariani, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sugarcane

• aeroplane
• appertain
• ascertain
• capitaine
• cassegrain
• cellophane
• chatelaine
• counterpane
• entertain
• gethsemane
• halothane
• hurricane

Kids Definition

sugarcane

noun

sug·​ar·​cane ˈshu̇g-ər-ˌkān 

: a tall tropical grass that has a thick jointed stem and is widely grown in warm regions as a source of sugar