maple

[ mey-puhl ]

noun

1. any of numerous trees or shrubs of the genus Acer, species of which are grown as shade or ornamental trees, for timber, or for sap. Compare maple family.
2. the wood of any such tree.
3. the flavor of maple syrup or maple sugar.
4. Bowling Slang. pin ( def 12 ).

maple

/ ˈmeɪpəl /

noun

1. any tree or shrub of the N temperate genus Acer, having winged seeds borne in pairs and lobed leaves: family Aceraceae
2. the hard close-grained wood of any of these trees, used for furniture and flooring
3. the flavour of the sap of the sugar maple

Other Words From

• maple·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of maple¹

before 900; Middle English mapel, Old English mapul-, in mapultrēow, mapulder maple tree, cognate with Old Saxon mapulder

Word History and Origins

Origin of maple¹

C14: from Old English mapel-, as in mapeltrēow maple tree

Example Sentences

Most of us focus on how to make maple syrup during this window.

From Popular-Science

Then, top them with whatever you’d like, including maple syrup, chopped nuts and fresh berries.

From Washington Post

The chair is made of solid maple, and the rolled arms and turned wood legs give it a very traditional look.

From Washington Post

John Boos Blocks are longstanding favorites—they’ve been around since 1887, and are made in the USA using durable woods like maple, walnut, and cherry.

From Popular-Science

One family in northeast Pennsylvania, for example, farmers who tapped maple trees to make syrup, watched as crews cut 558 of their trees to make way for a pipeline.

From ProPublica

“Treat every crime as if the victim were your mother,” Maple would say.

From The Daily Beast

Whisk together maple syrup and whiskey, add as much whiskey as desired.

From The Daily Beast

Those same Maple and Brown Sugar packets bear an FDA-approved seal proclaiming them heart healthy.

From The Daily Beast

A single packet of Quaker Maple and Brown Sugar instant oatmeal, though, contains a full tablespoon of sugar.

From The Daily Beast

Sally ate it with maple syrup; at home we ate the store-bought kind with ketchup.

From The Daily Beast

As they drove up under the maple-trees before the low iron gate, he said, Has this year been a happy year to you?

From Project Gutenberg

The Ash, of course, thought he had as much right to stand there as the Maple, and he said he would not stir a limb.

From Project Gutenberg

They bent their heads so low and close to listen, that an arm of the Maple slipped through an arm of the Ash.

From Project Gutenberg

"No, you are not," retorted the Ash, and he sent the Maple back with a great push of his strong elbow.

From Project Gutenberg

They forgot to give thanks for the sweet waters of the maple, and for the planting season.

From Project Gutenberg