sycamore

noun

syc·​a·​more ˈsi-kə-ˌmȯr 

1

or less commonly sycomore

ˈsi-kə-ˌmȯr 

: 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

: plane entry 4

especially : a very large spreading tree (Platanus occidentalis) chiefly of the eastern and central U.S. with 3- to 5-lobed broadly ovate leaves

Examples of sycamore in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At a makeshift bar shaded by a sycamore tree, one of the guides was mixing cocktails that contained pisco and ginger. —David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2025

The premature leaf drop brought on by hot, dry weather is most pronounced on large-leafed, fast-growing shade trees such as cottonwoods, silver maples, catalpas, sycamores and mulberries, among others. —Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 May 2025

Watch for it on fruitless mulberries, catalpas, cottonwoods, silver maples, sycamores and others. —Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 June 2025

Quiet time to wonder, daydream and relish the mottled bark of sycamore trees has fallen by the wayside. —Patricia Steckler, Baltimore Sun, 18 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sikamour, sicomore, borrowed from Anglo-French sicamour, borrowed from Latin sȳcomorus, borrowed from Greek sȳkómoros "sycamore fig" (sȳkómoron "fruit of the sycamore fig"), probably alteration by folk etymology of sȳkámīnos sycamine, with the ending conformed to móron "black mulberry, blackberry" — more at mulberry

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sycamore

• albacore
• alongshore
• antiwar
• anymore
• blastopore
• carnivore
• commodore
• dinosaur
• evermore
• furthermore
• guarantor
• herbivore

Kids Definition

sycamore

noun

syc·​a·​more ˈsik-ə-ˌmō(ə)r 

-ˌmȯ(ə)r

1

: a Eurasian maple with yellowish green flowers that is widely planted as a shade tree

2

: a large spreading tree of the eastern and central U.S. that has light-brown bark peeling off in thin flakes and small round brown fruits hanging on long stalks