maple

/ˈmeɪpəl/

/ˈmeɪpəl/

Other forms: maples

Definitions of maple

1. noun

   any of numerous trees or shrubs of the genus Acer bearing winged seeds in pairs; north temperate zone
   types:

   Acer saccharinum, silver maple

   a common North American maple tree; five-lobed leaves are light green above and silvery white beneath; source of hard close-grained but brittle light-brown wood

   Acer saccharum, rock maple, sugar maple

   maple of eastern and central North America having three-lobed to five-lobed leaves and hard close-grained wood much used for cabinet work especially the curly-grained form; sap is chief source of maple syrup and maple sugar; many subspecies

   Acer rubrum, red maple, scarlet maple, swamp maple

   maple of eastern and central America; five-lobed leaves turn scarlet and yellow in autumn

   Acer pennsylvanicum, goosefoot maple, moose-wood, moosewood, striped dogwood, striped maple

   maple of eastern North America with striped bark and large two-lobed leaves clear yellow in autumn

   Acer macrophyllum, Oregon maple, big-leaf maple

   maple of western North America having large 5-lobed leaves orange in autumn

   Acer glabrum, Rocky-mountain maple, dwarf maple

   small maple of northwestern North America

   Acer spicatum, mountain alder, mountain maple

   small shrubby maple of eastern North America; scarlet in autumn

   Acer circinatum, vine maple

   small maple of northwestern North America having prostrate stems that root freely and form dense thickets

   Acer campestre, field maple, hedge maple

   shrubby Eurasian maple often used as a hedge

   Acer platanoides, Norway maple

   a large Eurasian maple tree naturalized in North America; five-lobed leaves yellow in autumn; cultivated in many varieties

   Acer pseudoplatanus, great maple, scottish maple, sycamore

   Eurasian maple tree with pale grey bark that peels in flakes like that of a sycamore tree; leaves with five ovate lobes yellow in autumn

   Acer negundo, ash-leaved maple, box elder

   common shade tree of eastern and central United States

   Acer argutum, pointed-leaf maple

   small shrubby Japanese plant with leaves having 5 to 7 acuminate lobes; yellow in autumn

   Acer japonicum, Japanese maple, full moon maple

   leaves deeply incised and bright red in autumn; Japan

   Acer palmatum, Japanese maple

   ornamental shrub or small tree of Japan and Korea with deeply incised leaves; cultivated in many varieties

   Acer negundo Californicum, California box elder

   maple of the Pacific coast of the United States; fruits are white when mature

   type of:

   angiospermous tree, flowering tree

   any tree having seeds and ovules contained in the ovary
2. noun

   wood of any of various maple trees; especially the hard close-grained wood of the sugar maple; used especially for furniture and flooring
   types:

   bird's-eye maple

   maple wood having a wavy grain with eyelike markings

   type of:

   wood

   the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees