maple
/ˈmeɪp(ə)l/ noun B1- Any member of any species of genus Acer, characterized by (usually) palmate, five-lobed leaves and winged seeds, and often grown for syrup or wood · Russian maple· They have a large maple in their yard.
- Often preceded by a descriptive word: a tree of the genus Acer; especially the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) native to North America which has brightly colored autumn foliage and is the primary source of maple syrup.
- Chiefly preceded by a descriptive word: a tree of a genus other than Acer which has an appearance or wood similar to an Acer tree. · Queensland maple
- Wood of an Acer tree, valued for its attractive appearance and hardness; also, similar wood from a tree of a genus other than Acer; (countable) a particular type of such wood. · This table is made of maple and also has some fruitwood inlays.
- The light-brown color of the wood of a maple tree (etymology 1, noun sense 3).
- The flavor of maple syrup made from the sap of a maple tree, or an imitation of that flavor. · What flavour is your ice-cream? Mine’s maple—it’s delicious.
Plural maples
From the library
Anne was curled up Turk-fashion on the hearthrug, gazing into that joyous glow where the sunshine of a hundred summers was being distilled from the maple cordwood.
Here Diana met her, and the two little girls went on up the lane under the leafy arch of maples--“maples are such sociable trees,” said Anne; “they’re always rustling and whispering to you”--until they came to a rustic bridge.
“Oh, Diana,” whispered Anne, finding it necessary to lean up against a maple tree for support, “do you really mean it?
Sometimes the road went through woods where maples were beginning to hang out scarlet banners; sometimes it crossed rivers on bridges that made Anne’s flesh cringe with the old, half-delightful fear; sometimes it wound along a harbor shore and passed by a little cluster of weather-gray fishing huts; again it mounted to hills whence a far sweep of curving upland or misty-blue sky could be seen; but wherever it went there was much of interest to discuss.
Other matches
Learn maple in real texts
With a free account, hover any word in the library for its meaning, hear it read aloud, save words for review timed to your memory, and see how much of each book you already know.