maple

maple · noun, adjective¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*h₂ébōl“apple; apple tree”
2. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*mos-“skin sore”
3. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*mapulaz
4. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*mapul“maple tree”
5. Old English · inherited from*mapul
6. Middle English · inherited frommapel“tree of species Acer campestre, sole native maple of the British Isles); wood of such a tree; artistic representation of a maple leaf; a beam, pole, stake (?)”
7. English todaymaple

The noun is derived from Middle English mapel (“tree of species Acer campestre, sole native maple of the British Isles); wood of such a tree; artistic representation of a maple leaf; a beam, pole, stake (?)”), from Old English *mapul (attested in mapulder (“maple tree”), mapultrēow (“maple tree”), etc.), from Proto-West Germanic *mapul (“maple tree”), from Proto-Germanic *mapulaz; further etymology uncertain, possibly from *masuraz (“type of wood with spots or veins, such as maple or walnut”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mos- (“skin sore”)) + *aplaz (“apple; fruit”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ébōl (“apple; apple tree”)). The adjective is from an attributive use of the noun. cognates * Dutch meppel (dialectal) * Old English mæsen (“maple”) * Middle Low German mapeldorn * Old High German mazaltra, mazzaltra (modern German Masseller, Maßholder; Mase (“scar”), Maser (“knob; offshoot; measle, speck”)) * Old Norse mǫpurr, mǫsurr (“maple”) * Old Saxon mapulder

maple · noun²

A variant of mapau, influenced by maple (etymology 1).

Maple · proper noun³

English surname, from the noun maple.

Words from the same roots