sweet gum

American  

noun

1. a tall, aromatic tree, Liquidambar styraciflua, of the eastern U.S., having star-shaped leaves and fruits in rounded, burlike clusters.

2. the hard reddish-brown wood of this tree, used for making furniture.

3. the amber balsam exuded by this tree, used in the manufacture of perfumes and medicines.

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sweet gum British  

noun

1. a North American liquidambar tree, Liquidambar styraciflua, having prickly spherical fruit clusters and fragrant sap: the wood (called satin walnut ) is used to make furniture Compare sour gum

2. the sap of this tree

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Etymology

Origin of sweet gum

An Americanism dating back to 1690–1700

Example Sentences

They’re also being planted alongside native trees like sweet gum, tulip trees and bald cypress, to avoid genetically identical stands of trees known as monocultures; non-engineered poplars are being planted as experimental controls.

From New York Times • Feb. 16, 2023

Behind the bar, they swagged a second garland made from teasel and sweet gum and poppy seed pods.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2022

Below him a four-inch white pipe ran from his house, across the yard just a few feet away from a basketball hoop, and into a copse of pine and sweet gum trees.

From The Guardian • Sep. 5, 2017

“I’ve made them out of cedar, bodock, sweet gum, hickory, sassafras,” he said.

From Washington Times • Sep. 18, 2016

You may find yourself inspecting a nearby ponderosa pine, perhaps, or an aspen or sweet gum, puzzling out the magic.

From "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate