What does maple mean?
Maple most often names a tree or shrub of the genus Acer, a large group of deciduous trees and shrubs valued for their leaves, timber, and ornamental qualities. The word can also denote the sap collected from certain maples and the sweet syrup produced from it. Maple syrup became especially associated with Canada and is now familiar well beyond North America, where it is used on pancakes, waffles, desserts, and many other foods. As an adjective or attributive noun, maple describes products made from maple, as in maple syrup and maple sugar, as well as objects made from its pale, durable wood. The tree also has cultural prominence: its leaf is a national symbol of Canada and appears prominently on the national flag. Depending on context, maple can therefore refer to a living tree, its sap or syrup, its wood, or a characteristic flavor and color.
A tree or shrub of the genus Acer; by extension, maple sap or syrup, maple wood, or a maple-like flavor or color.
"The syrup was made from the sap of a silver maple."
The plural maples is used for the trees. Standalone maple meaning syrup is normally uncountable.
Made from, derived from, or flavored with maple.
"They served fresh waffles with maple syrup and maple nuts."
This use is primarily attributive and is especially common in North American English.
Maples is the regular plural when referring to maple trees; maple used as shorthand for syrup is normally uncountable.
"The grounds contain several old maples."
Canada's flag made the maple leaf a global symbol—thanks, in part, to this word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does maple come from?
English maple developed from Old English mæpel, the old name for the tree. That form is conventionally traced to Proto-Germanic *mapl-, although the deeper origin of the Germanic root is uncertain. Closely related forms appear in other Germanic languages, including Danish mapl and Icelandic mapli. English later extended the word by metonymy to the tree's sap and the syrup made from it.
Related word forms
How maple is actually used
Standalone maple most often refers to the tree. In informal North American usage, it can also stand for maple syrup, especially in food contexts; maple is commonly used attributively, as in maple syrup, maple sugar, and maple furniture.