American sycamore
1
6.7
- noun
- /əˈmɛrɪkən ˈsɪkəmɔr/
- US
- The American sycamore is easily recognized by its peeling, patchy bark and massive trunk.
Examples
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Many city parks in the Midwest are lined with American sycamore trees, admired for their impressive size and shade.
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The leaves of the American sycamore turn yellow and brown in the autumn before falling.
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Look at that giant American sycamore!
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The American sycamore grows tall and majestic.
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Many city parks in the Midwest are lined with American sycamore trees, admired for their impressive size and shade.
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The American sycamore is easily recognized by its peeling, patchy bark and massive trunk.
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The leaves of the American sycamore turn yellow and brown in the autumn before falling.
Synonyms
12
4.8
A large tree with pale, peeling bark and broad leaves that gives good shade
1
6.1
A large tree with pale, peeling bark, broad leaves, and round seed balls that gives shade
1
9.9
A very large tree with wide branches and broad leaves that gives shade by rivers
1
9.3
A very large American sycamore tree with peeling bark and a wide canopy
A very large tree with broad branches and peeling bark from eastern and central North America
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines the adjective 'American' (of or from America) with the noun 'sycamore' (a large tree), so its meaning as a sycamore species found in America is directly derivable from the constituents. This kind of adjective + noun species label is a common, compositional pattern across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand it.
Etymology
The tree American sycamore got its name when early settlers saw a huge tree in North America that reminded them of the European sycamore. Its white-and-brown, peeling bark and very large trunk made a strong picture, so they added American to show it came from 'America'.