sycamore

Meaning

1. Any of several North American plane trees, of the genus Platanus, especially Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore), distinguished by its mottled bark which flakes off in large irregular masses.
2. A large British and European species of maple, Acer pseudoplatanus, known in North America as the sycamore maple.
3. A large tree bearing edible fruit, Ficus sycomorus, allied to the common fig, found in Egypt and Syria.
4. A number of places in the United States:
5. An unincorporated community in Talladega County, Alabama.
6. An unincorporated community in Colusa County, California.
7. Former name of Herndon, California.
8. An unincorporated community in Sussex County, Delaware.
9. A minor city in Turner County, Georgia.
10. A city, the county seat of DeKalb County, Illinois.
11. An unincorporated community in Jackson Township, Howard County, Indiana.
12. An unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Kansas.
13. A minor city in Jefferson County, Kentucky.
14. An unincorporated community in Ozark County, Missouri.
15. A village in Wyandot County, Ohio.

Etymology / origin

Circa 1350 as Middle English sicamour, from Old French sicamor, from Latin sȳcomorus, from Ancient Greek σῡκόμορος (sūkómoros, literally “fig-mulberry”), from σῦκον (sûkon, “fig”) + μόρον (móron, “mulberry”). Possibly influenced by Hebrew שִׁקְמָה (shikmá, “fig-mulberry”). In the 16th c. applied to the European maple (Acer pseudoplatanus), in the early 19th c. to various plane tree species introduced to North America, perhaps in analogy to their shadiness.

Related words

Descendant words

• sikamor(Cebuano) (der)

Sources

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