Definition of sycamore
1 or less commonly sycomoreplay \ˈsi-kə-ˌ\ : 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 : 2plane; especially : a very large spreading tree (Platanus occidentalis) chiefly of the eastern and central U.S. with 3- to 5-lobed broadly ovate leaves
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of sycamore from the Web
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Fifty chairs surround the central area outdoors in this rural setting, and as these actors create worlds in our heads, cows low in the distance and birds flit among the sycamores.
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The area between the two will be planted with cottonwood, oak and sycamore trees and water-loving undergrowth.
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Today, restored to its original grandeur, the stately house sits on a double lot shaded by a large sycamore tree, ringed by a brick patio and flanked by a garden filled with key lime and Meyer lemon trees laden with fruit.
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But on a warm afternoon in the dappled light under sycamores, the park’s role in the lives of neighborhood children was set off in bas-relief.
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Three large, old sycamores near the park entrance recently succumbed to infestations of the shot hole borer, a type of beetle that carries a toxic fungus.
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The canyon sits alongside a seasonal creek, fringed by towering oak and sycamore trees.
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The trees range from young American chestnuts to mature cottonwoods and sycamores.
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Led by chairman Morris Stroud II, the conservancy marked 50 years April 29 by planting three sycamores, starting a Founder’s Grove to honor the original trio, and opening a trail built with township and state aid.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sycamore.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of sycamore
Middle English sicamour, from Anglo-French sicamour, from Latin sycomorus, from Greek sykomoros, probably modification of a Semitic word akin to Hebrew shiqmāh sycamore
SYCAMORE Defined for English Language Learners
sycamore
playDefinition of sycamore for English Language Learners
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: a tree of the eastern and central U.S. that has light-brown bark that peels off in thin flakes
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: a type of European maple tree with five-pointed leaves
SYCAMORE Defined for Kids
sycamore
playDefinition of sycamore for Students
1 : a fig tree of Egypt and the Middle East
2 : a large tree of the United States with round hard fruits and bark that peels off in flakes
Learn More about sycamore
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See words that rhyme with sycamore Spanish Central: Translation of sycamore Nglish: Translation of sycamore for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sycamore
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