sugar maple

noun

1
: a maple (Acer saccharum) of eastern North America with 3- to 5-lobed leaves, hard close-grained wood much used for cabinetwork, and sap that is the chief source of maple syrup and maple sugar

called also rock maple, hard maple

2
: any of several maples (especially Acer nigrum and A. grandidentatum) often considered subspecies of the sugar maple

Examples of sugar maple 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.
Many birds steer clear of beech and sugar maple, instead choosing oak trees for nesting. — Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 29 Oct. 2025 Read about the first-grade class that, in 1982, took a trip to tap a sugar maple, boil the sap, and share some adorable moments. — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026 And of the 1 billion or so trees on the reservation, about 23% are sugar maples, ideal for tapping to make maple syrup and sugar. — Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 30 Mar. 2026 Starting in midwinter and continuing until spring, these trees have a heavy sap run, one of the reasons sugar maples are tapped in late winter to make syrup. — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sugar maple

Word History

First Known Use

1731, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sugar maple was in 1731

Rhymes for sugar maple

See All Rhymes for sugar maple

Browse Nearby Words

sugar mama
sugar maple
sugar-maple borer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sugar maple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sugar%20maple. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sugar maple

noun
: a maple tree of eastern North America with hard wood that is much used for cabinetwork and sap that is the chief source of maple syrup and maple sugar

More from Merriam-Webster on sugar maple

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sugar maple

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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