Definition of MAPLE

maple

Plural: maples

Noun

  • A hardwood tree, often providing sweet sap.
  • wood of any of various maple trees; especially the hard close-grained wood of the sugar maple; used especially for furniture and flooring
  • any of numerous trees or shrubs of the genus Acer bearing winged seeds in pairs; north temperate zone
  • A tree of the genus Acer, characterised by its usually palmate leaves and winged seeds.
  • The wood of such a tree, prized for its hardness and attractive appearance.
  • The flavor of such a tree's sap, or an imitation of that flavor.

Examples

  • A well-placed ’MAPLE’ on a triple word score can really branch out your lead.
  • A: Mmm, this one is strawberry! What flavor is yours? B: This one is maple! I wonder if any of them will turn out to be pineapple!
  • They have a large maple in their yard.
  • This table is made of maple and also has some fruitwood inlays.

Origin / Etymology

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.

Scrabble Score: 9

maple: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
maple: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
maple: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

maple: valid Words With Friends Word