maple

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) A tree of the genus Acer, characterised by its usually palmate leaves and winged seeds.
2. (countable, uncountable) The wood of such a tree, prized for its hardness and attractive appearance.
3. (countable, uncountable) The flavor of such a tree's sap, or an imitation of that flavor.

Synonyms

maple tree

maple wood

oak

sycamore

Aceraceae

mahogany

scarlet-tinged ivy

maplewood

Translations

érable

Ahorn

arce

acero

esdoorn

ahorn

auró

bordo

akçaağaç

ácer

acer

aak

Acer macrophyllum

roble

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmeɪpl̩/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: mapel

Inherited from Old English: *mapul

Cognate with Old Saxon: mapulder

Cognate with Old High German: mazaltra

Cognate with Old Norse: mǫpurr

Cognate with Middle Low German: mapeldorn

Cognate with Dutch: meppel

Cognate with German: Masseller

Cognate with Old English: mæsen

Cognate with Old Norse: mǫsurr

Cognate with German: Maser

Cognate with German: Mase

In summary

From Middle English mapel, from Old English *mapul (attested in mapultrēow and mapulder), from Proto-West Germanic *mapul, from Proto-Germanic *mapulaz (compare Old Saxon mapulder, Old High German mazaltra, mazzaltra; Old Norse mǫpurr, Middle Low German mapeldorn, dialectal Dutch meppel, German Masseller, Maßholder), perhaps a blend of *masuraz (“knob; maple-tree”) (compare Old English mæsen (“maple”), Old Norse mǫsurr (“maple”), German Maser (“knob, offshoot”)) and *aplaz (“apple”) (see apple), from *masą (“lump, knob”) (compare obsolete German Mase (“scar”), modern Maser (“speck, measle”). More at measles.