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Glite Dictionary
sugar sumac

sugar sumac

9.9
A small evergreen bush with reddish yellow flower spikes and hairy fruits
  • noun
  • /ˈʃʊɡər ˈsuːmæk/
  • US
translation icon : sumaque dulce
  • Clusters of reddish yellow flowers make the sugar sumac easy to identify in spring.

Examples

  • The sugar sumac thrives in moist woodlands across the southeastern United States.

  • Gardeners value the sugar sumac for its decorative and wildlife-friendly fruits.

  • The sugar sumac thrives in warm climates.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the sugar sumac for its unique flowers.

  • The sugar sumac grows well in sandy soil and produces yellow spikes of flowers.

  • In the garden, the sugar sumac stands out with its striking reddish yellow flowers.

  • Many birds are attracted to the berries of the sugar sumac, which provide food in the fall.

Synonyms

sugar-bush
vssugar sumac
  • US
9.9

An evergreen shrub with reddish yellow flower spikes and sticky, hairy fruits

means the same but is written as two separate words rather than hyphenated

Surface Forms

sugar sumac singular
sugar sumacs plural

Morphology

sugar + sumac

This is a straightforward noun–noun compound where 'sugar' modifies 'sumac', signalling a variety or characteristic of the sumac plant; a B1 learner who knows 'sugar' and 'sumac' will readily infer it is a type of sumac (likely with a sweet or notable quality) even if they don't know the botanical specifics. Such modifier+head compounding is a common, predictable pattern cross-linguistically, so the overall meaning is transparently derived from the constituents.

Etymology

Sugar sumac gets its name from the plant's small, hairy fruit clusters that look like they are sprinkled with sugar. One popular story says people found the berries a little sweet, so the name means a sumac with 'sweet-looking' fruit and helps you spot the plant in spring.