elm

American  

[elm] / ɛlm /

noun

1. any tree of the genus Ulmus, as U. procera English elm, characterized by the gradually spreading columnar manner of growth of its branches.

2. the wood of such a tree.

---

elm British  

/ ɛlm /

noun

1. any ulmaceous tree of the genus Ulmus, occurring in the N hemisphere, having serrated leaves and winged fruits (samaras): cultivated for shade, ornament, and timber

2. the hard heavy wood of this tree

---

Etymology

Origin of elm

before 1000; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Old High German elm; akin to Old Norse almr, Latin ulmus

Example Sentences

To better understand its ecological effects, Jusino and her colleagues studied dead elm trees both with and without golden oyster mushrooms.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026

Their findings show that temperate woodland species, including oak, elm, and hazel, were present much earlier than suggested by pollen records from Britain.

From Science Daily • Apr. 17, 2026

White-letter hairstreak butterflies are hard to spot, as they fly around the tops of tall elm trees.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

But Dutch elm disease, an invasive fungus spread by bark beetles to which the native trees had no defense, has decimated the elm by tens of millions across the continent.

From Salon • Jun. 15, 2025

Mudgett gouged his initials into an old elm tree at his grandfather’s farm, where the family marked his growth with notches in a doorjamb.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson