sapling

American  

[sap-ling] / ˈsæp lɪŋ /

noun

1. a young tree.

2. a young person.

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sapling British  

/ ˈsæplɪŋ /

noun

1. a young tree

2. literary a youth

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Etymology

Origin of sapling

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; sap ¹, -ling ¹

Example Sentences

“Most of the fire area is like this, where it would have killed a few of the seedlings and saplings but basically almost nothing else,” Hanson said.

From Los Angeles Times

Baimedov, who has become an amateur botanist, tends to about 15,000 saplings, which are aimed at forming a green wall against the sand.

From Barron's

Conifer plantations on the estate are being cleared, allowing native saplings space to grow.

From BBC

There are 49 saplings in total, one for each foot of the old tree's height.

From BBC

With increasing urgency, the couple scouted area ponds for suitable release sites, the trick being to find one currently unoccupied by other beavers, with abundant sapling growth as a food supply.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• seedling
• tree