Sycamore SYC'AMORE, n. [Gr. a fig.] A species of fig-tree. The name is also given to the Acer majus, [A.pseudo-platanus,] a species of maple.
This name is also given to the plane tree or button-wood, of the genus Platanus.

sycamore n 1: variably colored and sometimes variegated hard tough elastic wood of a sycamore tree [syn: sycamore, lacewood] 2: any of several trees of the genus Platanus having thin pale bark that scales off in small plates and lobed leaves and ball-shaped heads of fruits [syn: plane tree, sycamore, platan] 3: Eurasian maple tree with pale grey bark that peels in flakes like that of a sycamore tree; leaves with five ovate lobes yellow in autumn [syn: sycamore, great maple, scottish maple}, Acer pseudoplatanus] 4: thick-branched wide-spreading tree of Africa and adjacent southwestern Asia often buttressed with branches rising from near the ground; produces cluster of edible but inferior figs on short leafless twigs; the biblical sycamore [syn: sycamore, sycamore fig, mulberry fig, Ficus sycomorus}]

sycamore c.1350, from O.Fr. sicamor, from L. sycomorus, from Gk. sykomoros, from sykon "fig" + moron "mulberry." Or perhaps a folk-etymology for Heb. shiqmah "mulberry." A Biblical word, originally used for a species of fig tree (Ficus sycomorus) common in Egypt, Syria, etc., whose leaves somewhat resemble those of the mulberry; applied from 1588 to Acer pseudoplatanus, a large species of European maple, and from 1814 to the North American shade tree that is also called buttonwood (Platanus occidentalis, introduced to Europe from Virginia 1637 by Filius Tradescant).

sycamore noun Etymology: Middle English sicamour, from Anglo-French sicamour, from Latin sycomorus, from Greek sykomoros, probably modification of a Semitic word akin to Hebrew shiqmāh sycamore Date: 14th century 1. (also sycomore) a fig tree (Ficus sycomorus) of Africa and the Middle East that is the sycamore of Scripture and has edible fruit similar but inferior to the common fig 2. a Eurasian maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) with long racemes of showy yellowish-green flowers that is widely planted as a shade tree 3. plane II; especially a very large spreading tree (Platanus occidentalis) chiefly of the eastern and central United States with 3- to 5-lobed broadly ovate leaves

sycamore
n.
1 (in full sycamore maple) a a large maple, Acer pseudoplatanus, with winged seeds, grown for its shade and timber. b its wood.
2 US the plane-tree or its wood.
3 Bibl. a fig-tree, Ficus sycomorus, growing in Egypt, Syria, etc.
Etymology: var. of SYCOMORE

sycamore (sycamores) A sycamore or a sycamore tree is a tree that has yellow flowers and large leaves with five points. N-VAR • Sycamore is the wood of this tree. The furniture is made of sycamore, beech and leather. N-UNCOUNT

sycamore ˈsɪkəmɔ: n. 1 (in full sycamore maple) a a large maple, Acer pseudoplatanus, with winged seeds, grown for its shade and timber. b its wood. 2 US the plane-tree or its wood. 3 Bibl. a fig-tree, Ficus sycomorus, growing in Egypt, Syria, etc. [var. of SYCOMORE]

Plane \Plane\, n. [F., fr. L. platanus, Gr. ?, fr. ? broad; -- so called on account of its broad leaves and spreading form. See Place, and cf. Platane, Plantain the tree.] (Bot.) Any tree of the genus Platanus. Note: The Oriental plane ({Platanus orientalis}) is a native of Asia. It rises with a straight, smooth, branching stem to a great height, with palmated leaves, and long pendulous peduncles, sustaining several heads of small close-sitting flowers. The seeds are downy, and collected into round, rough, hard balls. The Occidental plane ({Platanus occidentalis}), which grows to a great height, is a native of North America, where it is popularly called sycamore, buttonwood, and buttonball, names also applied to the California species ({Platanus racemosa}).

Sycamore \Syc"a*more\, n. [L. sycomorus, Gr. ? the fig mulberry; ? a fig + ? the black mulberry; or perhaps of Semitic origin: cf. F. sycomore. Cf. Mulberry.] (Bot.) (a) A large tree ({Ficus Sycomorus}) allied to the common fig. It is found in Egypt and Syria, and is the sycamore, or sycamine, of Scripture. (b) The American plane tree, or buttonwood. (c) A large European species of maple ({Acer Pseudo-Platanus}). [Written sometimes sycomore.]

Buttonwood \But"ton*wood`\, n. (Bot.) The Platanus occidentalis, or American plane tree, a large tree, producing rough balls, from which it is named; -- called also buttonball tree, and, in some parts of the United States, sycamore. The California buttonwood is P. racemosa}.

SYCAMORE sik'-a-mor. See SYCOMORE.

Sycamore more properly sycomore (Heb. shikmoth and shikmim, Gr. sycomoros), a tree which in its general character resembles the fig-tree, while its leaves resemble those of the mulberry; hence it is called the fig-mulberry (Ficus sycomorus). At Jericho, Zacchaeus climbed a sycomore-tree to see Jesus as he passed by (Luke 19:4). This tree was easily destroyed by frost (Ps. 78:47), and therefore it is found mostly in the "vale" (1 Kings 10:27; 2 Chr. 1:15: in both passages the R.V. has properly "lowland"), i.e., the "low country," the shephelah, where the climate is mild. Amos (7:14) refers to its fruit, which is of an inferior character; so also probably Jeremiah (24:2). It is to be distinguished from our sycamore (the Acer pseudo-platanus), which is a species of maple often called a plane-tree.

Sycamore, GA (city, FIPS 75104) Location: 31.67024 N, 83.63507 W Population (1990): 417 (198 housing units) Area: 2.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 31790

Sycamore, IL (city, FIPS 74223) Location: 41.98170 N, 88.69577 W Population (1990): 9708 (3935 housing units) Area: 9.7 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 60178

Sycamore, KY (city, FIPS 75190) Location: 38.24664 N, 85.56072 W Population (1990): 70 (34 housing units) Area: 0.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Sycamore, MO Zip code(s): 65758

Sycamore, OH (village, FIPS 75980) Location: 40.95101 N, 83.17090 W Population (1990): 919 (378 housing units) Area: 1.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 44882

Sycamore, PA Zip code(s): 15364

Sycamore, SC (town, FIPS 70900) Location: 33.03650 N, 81.22264 W Population (1990): 208 (96 housing units) Area: 8.2 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

sycamore n. [U. S.] Plane-tree, button-wood, button-ball tree, water-beech (Platanus occidentalis).

look up a word or phrase