liquidambar

American  

[lik-wid-am-ber, lik-wid-am-] / ˈlɪk wɪdˌæm bər, ˌlɪk wɪdˈæm- /

noun

1. any tree of the genus Liquidambar, including the sweet gum.

2. the fragrant, yellowish, balsamic liquid exuded by this tree, used in medicine.

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liquidambar British  

/ ˌlɪkwɪdˈæmbə /

noun

1. any deciduous tree of the hamamelidaceous genus Liquidambar, of Asia and North and Central America, with star-shaped leaves, and exuding a yellow aromatic balsam See also sweet gum

2. the balsam of this tree, used in medicine See also storax

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Etymology

Origin of liquidambar

1590–1600; < New Latin: genus name. See liquid, amber

Example Sentences

In Melbourne, corellas have made a home in suburbs with large numbers of liquidambar trees, whose seeds they particularly like.

From New York Times • Jun. 10, 2022

I was no longer among the heavy trunks of platanus and liquidambar.

From The War Trail The Hunt of the Wild Horse by Reid, Mayne

The liquidambar, as well as several poplars and willows, cannot be distinguished from those of Oeningen; the same is true of an Elm, a Carpinus, and others.

From Louis Agassiz: His Life and Correspondence by Agassiz, Louis

But as to the liquidambar, or sweet-gum, there can be no question.

From Getting Acquainted with the Trees by McFarland, J. Horace (John Horace)

Be this as it may, there are times when I sincerely long for a ball of liquidambar or a mouthful of pungent spring buds.

From Lippincott's Magazine, August, 1885 by Various