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American sycamore

American sycamore

6.7
A very large tree from eastern and central North America with broad leaves and patchy peeling bark
  • noun
  • /əˈmɛrɪkən ˈsɪkəmɔr/
  • US
translation icon : sicomoro americano
  • The American sycamore is easily recognized by its peeling, patchy bark and massive trunk.

Examples

  • Many city parks in the Midwest are lined with American sycamore trees, admired for their impressive size and shade.

  • The leaves of the American sycamore turn yellow and brown in the autumn before falling.

  • Look at that giant American sycamore!

  • The American sycamore grows tall and majestic.

  • Many city parks in the Midwest are lined with American sycamore trees, admired for their impressive size and shade.

  • The American sycamore is easily recognized by its peeling, patchy bark and massive trunk.

  • The leaves of the American sycamore turn yellow and brown in the autumn before falling.

Synonyms

sycamore
vsAmerican sycamore
10 4.8

A large tree with pale, peeling bark and broad leaves that gives good shade

denotes specifically the North American species rather than different world species
plane tree
vsAmerican sycamore
1 6.1

A large tree with pale, peeling bark, broad leaves, and round seed balls that gives shade

refers specifically to one North American species rather than the whole genus
buttonwood
vsAmerican sycamore
  • US
1 9.9

A very large tree with wide branches and broad leaves that gives shade by rivers

is the more widely used name in everyday speech for that tree
American plane
vsAmerican sycamore
  • US
1 8.6

A very large tree with broad branches and peeling bark from eastern and central North America

is the more common name in everyday speech than that variant
Platanus occidentalis
vsAmerican sycamore
  • Specialized
9.3

A very large American sycamore tree with peeling bark and a wide canopy

is the common English name rather than the species name

Surface Forms

Morphology

American + sycamore

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'.