sapling
Americannoun
-
a young tree.
-
a young person.
noun
-
a young tree
-
literary a youth
Etymology
Origin of sapling
late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at sap 1, -ling 1
Explanation
A young tree with a slender trunk is known as a sapling. Just as a young duck is called a "duckling," a young tree is called a sapling. The suffix "-ling" comes from Old English and often shows up today at the end of words to mean "young" or "youngster." Brothers and sisters are called siblings. A baby goose is called a gosling. Someone who works under you is called an underling. The way to remember the meaning of sapling is that trees make "sap" — the sweet, sugary liquid that, in sugar maples, gets turned into syrup. A young tree, then, is known as a sapling. One day, it'll make sap.
Vocabulary lists containing sapling
The Secret Life of Bees
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Pax
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The annual conferences were drawing about 500 people when Anderson's nonprofit Sapling Foundation took over in 2001.
From Barron's • Oct. 15, 2025
Around the corner, you can peep upstairs for one dinner option, Evergreen Pizza Co. — along with Sapling, new from Manu Alfau of Seattle’s late, great Manu’s Bodega.
From Seattle Times • May 20, 2022
“Since exactly a month ago, about 200 people have joined a waiting list to buy a product from our Sapling Line alone,” Ms. Whelley McCabe said.
From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2021
When Anderson bought TED in 2001 on behalf of his non-profit-making Sapling Foundation, it was more like an elite supper club for the masters of the universe.
From The Guardian • Jul. 16, 2011
The woman had been captured at Sapling Grove within three hundred yards of Captain Evan Shelby’s house, the woman told me.
From A Virginia Scout by Hutchison, D. C.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
