whitebeam

American

[hwahyt-beem, wahyt-] / ˈʰwaɪtˌbim, ˈwaɪt- /

noun

a European tree, Sorbus aria, of the rose family, having leathery leaves, showy, white flowers, and mealy, orange-red or scarlet fruit.

whitebeam British

/ ˈwaɪtˌbiːm /

noun

a N temperate rosaceous tree, Sorbus aria, having leaves with dense white hairs on the undersurface and hard timber
any of several similar and closely related trees

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of whitebeam

First recorded in 1695–1705; white + beam

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.

It has been trying to restore the woodlands by introducing downy birch, sessile oak, hazel, willow, aspen and alder as well as endangered tree species such as Arran whitebeam.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2025

There are only about 30 Menai whitebeam left - and they are all on a small stretch of coast between the Welsh mainland and Anglesey.

From BBC • Sep. 26, 2021

The Menai whitebeam grows in just one small section of steep coast along the Menai Straits.

From BBC • Sep. 26, 2021

The remaining Menai whitebeam are at the Nantporth Nature Reserve, making the area "unique", according to senior reserve manager Chris Wynne.

From BBC • Sep. 26, 2021

Petal-patined the dream, white-mistful As the dew-sweet haunt of the dim whitebeam Because of memory, a little wind ...

From Georgian Poetry 1918-19 by Marsh, Edward Howard, Sir

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023