balsam poplar

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noun

a North American tree, Populus balsamifera, having sticky, resinous buds and shiny ovate leaves.

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Also called hackmatack, tacamahac.

Origin of balsam poplar

An Americanism dating back to 1780–90

Words nearby balsam poplar

balsamiferous, balsaminaceous, balsam of Peru, balsam of tolu, balsam pear, balsam poplar, balsam spruce, Balt, Baltassar, balteus, Balthazar

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use balsam poplar in a sentence

On the way down he identifies trees by which needles are best to sleep on: Balsam fir is good.
Pete Dexter’s Indelible Portrait of Author Norman Maclean|Pete Dexter|March 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Martin Balsam and Diane Cilento and all the good people are holed up in a shack at the top of the hill.
The Elmore Leonard Interview|Allen Barra|April 9, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The poplar trees that line the avenues between the cellblocks are bare.
My Visit To Hell|Christopher Buckley|January 30, 2009|DAILY BEAST
A little way beyond the poplar-grove Piegan drew rein, and held up one hand.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

Far away a gap in the poplar trees showed a German observation balloon, a tiny dot against the sky.
The Amazing Interlude|Mary Roberts Rinehart
They climbed the broken staircase and stared toward the break in the poplar trees, from the roofless floor above.
The Amazing Interlude|Mary Roberts Rinehart
Small poplar trees were quickly felled in the neighboring forest, and their branches lopped off.
Gold-Seeking on the Dalton Trail|Arthur R. Thompson
Having reached this spot, they lost no time in cutting slender poles of poplar and attaching the lines.
Gold-Seeking on the Dalton Trail|Arthur R. Thompson

British Dictionary definitions for balsam poplar

balsam poplar

noun

a poplar tree, Populus balsamifera, of NE North America, having resinous buds and broad heart-shaped leavesSee also tacamahac

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012