sapling
Americannoun
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a young tree.
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a young person.
noun
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a young tree
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literary a youth
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
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Pax
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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.
See Examples For:
She said: "We urge those involved to do the right thing, return the sapling, or come forward."
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
Tyler and Cora steady a western redbud sapling as Atticus holds up a bag of soil and Eliza shovels out the fragrant earth.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
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 ● Nov. 7, 2025
That syrupy-sweet and shockingly crisp fruit came from an unremarkable sapling that Bedford, then a graduate student, had rescued from the discard pile of a University of Minnesota breeding program.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2025
Jim and Bill Merrill, two brothers, were standing next to a sapling.
From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara
From Sycamore Gap saplings to 'trees of hope'
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
During the Bounty’s infamous mutiny, Tahitian breadfruit saplings filled its hold.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Calif., United States - October 21: These giant sequoia saplings sprung to life in a moderate burn area of the Redwood Mountain Grove as seen on Tuesday, Oct.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2026
The planting took place within fenced plots, which are designed to protect young saplings.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026
In time the saplings and hedges on the perimeter would provide shade and character; now they spoke of fine intentions.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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.
