sycamore

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromσῡκόμορος
2. Latin · derived fromsȳcomorus
3. Old French · derived fromsicamor
4. Middle English · inherited fromsicamour
5. English todaysycamore

Circa 1350 as Middle English sicamour, from Old French sicamor, from Latin sȳcomorus, from Ancient Greek σῡκόμορος (sūkómoros, literally “fig-mulberry”), from σῦκον (sûkon, “fig”) + μόρον (móron, “mulberry”). Possibly influenced by Hebrew שִׁקְמָה (shikmá, “fig-mulberry”). 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.