sweet gum
1
6.1
- noun
- /swit ɡʌm/
- US
:
árbol de goma dulce
- The sweet gum tree is known for its unique shape and vibrant fall colors, making it a popular choice for landscaping.
- sweet gum tree
Examples
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He walked slowly back to the edge of the trees, passing the sweet gum where he'd been crouched.
Fiction book (1995) -
Instead of thick pine groves, hardwoods such as white oaks and sweet gums grew tall, and their shade kept scrub from growing up.
Fiction book (1995) -
We sat out under the sweet gum tree.
Fiction book (2000) -
Immediately, he slipped behind a sweet gum and dropped to his stomach.
Fiction book (1995) -
"Nothing like a sweet gum for shade," Raymond said.
Fiction book (2000) -
My mother threw her head back and looked up at the sweet gum. "Raymond always said this tree makes the best shade," she said.
Fiction book (2000) -
We made hamburgers on the grill and ate them under the sweet gum.
Fiction book (2000) -
One of my very favorite trees is the Slender Silhouette sweet gum here.
-
OK, then we've got our sweet gum tree right here, Warplesden.
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Finally, he crouched down and leaned against a sweet gum.
Fiction book (1995)
Synonyms
1
6.0
A North American tree with spiky round seed balls and sweet-smelling sap and red leaves in autumn
A North American tree with star-shaped leaves and spiky round fruit
A tall North American tree with star-shaped leaves, prickly round fruit, and fragrant sap
A North American tree with star-shaped leaves, spiky round fruit, and sticky fragrant sap
A North American tree with spiky round fruits and scented sap
A tree that loses its leaves and has star-shaped leaves and spiky fruit
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun is a compositional adjective+noun compound: 'sweet' modifies 'gum' to denote a particular kind of gum tree (and its wood). If a learner knows 'sweet' and the botanical sense of 'gum' (a tree producing resin/wood), they can infer this refers to the wood of the sweet gum tree, a common and predictable naming pattern cross-linguistically.
Etymology
Sweet gum is the name of a tree that makes a sticky, sweet-smelling gum or 'sap' and that has prickly round fruits and star-shaped leaves. Because the tree gave this sticky 'gum', people called the whole tree sweet gum.