sumac

or su·mach

[ soo-mak, shoo- ]

/ ˈsu mæk, ˈʃu- /

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noun

any of several shrubs or small trees belonging to the genus Rhus of the cashew family, having milky sap, compound leaves, and small, fleshy fruit.

a preparation of the dried and powdered leaves, bark, etc., of certain species of Rhus, especially R. coriaria of southern Europe, used especially in tanning.

the wood of these trees.

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Origin of sumac

1250–1300; Middle English <Medieval Latin <Arabic summāq

Words nearby sumac

Sulu, Sulu Archipelago, Sulu Sea, Sulzberger, sum, sumac, sumach, sum and substance, Sumatra, Sumatra camphor, Sumatran

How to use sumac in a sentence

Shredded halloumi, fresh herbs, crunchy nuts and citrusy touches from lemon and sumac make this aromatic dish a simple, tasty weeknight winner.
6 recipes that use halloumi cheese in all its squeaky, salty glory|Kari Sonde|April 12, 2021|Washington Post
Ground sumac is available at Middle Eastern markets and spice shops, as well as some Whole Foods Markets.
Harissa-glazed turkey legs with sweet potatoes deliver big flavor on a budget|Becky Krystal|November 10, 2020|Washington Post
The smoke from her kitchen fire rose white as she put in dry sumac to give it a start.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
Mary rose from the stone by this roadway, where she had been sitting beneath a solitary sumac.
God Wills It!|William Stearns Davis

From the smooth sumac they reap a harvest in midsummer, and in March they get a good grist of pollen from the skunk-cabbage.
A Year in the Fields|John Burroughs
All the colors of autumn were at their height, and gorgeous plots of maple thicket and sumac burned against the brown and green.
Tales of lonely trails|Zane Grey
Also spelt Sumac and Shumac, and always pronounced like the latter.
Animal Proteins|Hugh Garner Bennett

Medical definitions for sumac

sumac

Any of various shrubs or small trees of the genus Rhus, having compound leaves, clusters of small greenish flowers, and usually red, hairy fruit. Some species, such as the poison ivy and poison oak, cause an acute itching rash on contact.