sycamore

Meaning

Noun

• Any of several North American plane trees, of the genus Platanus, especially Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore), distinguished by its mottled bark which flakes off in large irregular masses.
• A large British and European species of maple, Acer pseudoplatanus, known in North America as the sycamore maple.
• A large tree bearing edible fruit, Ficus sycomorus, allied to the common fig and found in Egypt and Syria.

Origin

• Circa 1350 as Middle English sicamour, from Old French sicamor, from Latin sȳcomorus, from Ancient Greek σῡκόμορος, from σῦκον + μόρον. Possibly influenced by .
• In the 16th c. applied to the European maple (Acer pseudoplatanus), in the early 19th c. to various plane tree species introduced to North America, perhaps in analogy to their shadiness.