maple

Any member of any species of genus Acer, characterized by (usually) palmate, five-lobed leaves and winged seeds, and often grown for syrup or wood

(UK) A small tree (Acer campestre), known as the common maple, field maple, or hedge maple, which has palmate leaves with five lobes and winged seeds, and is chiefly native to East Asia, Europe, North Africa, and North America.

Often preceded by a descriptive word: a tree of the genus Acer; especially the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) native to North America which has brightly colored autumn foliage and is the primary source of maple syrup.

Wood of an Acer tree, valued for its attractive appearance and hardness; also, similar wood from a tree of a genus other than Acer; (countable) a particular type of such wood.

The flavor of maple syrup made from the sap of a maple tree, or an imitation of that flavor.

The light-brown color of the wood of a maple tree.

Chiefly preceded by a descriptive word: a tree of a genus other than Acer which has an appearance or wood similar to an Acer tree.

Short for maple pea (“the field pea (Pisum sativum subsp. arvense) which has brown, speckled seeds used dry rather than fresh; a seed of this plant”).

(New-Zealand, no longer used) Synonym of mapau (“any of several trees of New Zealand, especially in the genus Myrsine”).

Of the flavour of, or made with, maple syrup.

Of the light-brown colour of the wood of a maple tree.