sycamore

/ˈsɪkəmɔr/
noun
  1. A large tree with broad leaves and bark that peels off in patches, common in North America and Europe.
    • Sycamore wood is often used for furniture and musical instruments.
    • The children played under the shade of a giant sycamore tree.
    • In autumn, sycamore leaves turn a beautiful golden yellow.
  2. In Britain, a type of maple tree (Acer pseudoplatanus) with five-lobed leaves and winged seeds.
    • Sycamore trees are often planted in parks and along streets in the UK.
    • British sycamore wood is prized for its fine grain and workability.
    • The sycamore in our garden drops helicopter seeds every spring.
  3. In the Bible and ancient Middle East, a fig tree (Ficus sycomorus) that produces a fig-like fruit.
    • Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus passing by.
    • Farmers in the region still harvest fruit from sycamore trees today.
    • The sycamore fig was a common source of food in ancient Egypt.