What does "sumac" mean?
Any of various shrubs or small trees of the genus Rhus and certain other genera in Anacardiaceae.
Sumac
/ˈs(j)uːmæk/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any of various shrubs or small trees of the genus Rhus and certain other genera in Anacardiaceae.
- Grammar: sumac is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: burgundy, bush, condiment, crimson.
- Useful contrasts: animal, blandness, colorlessness.
- Usage evidence: The Rhamnus of Maderaspatan, and the Trifoliate Sumachs from the Coaſt of Africa, are altogether new.
How to use "sumac"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sumac" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sumac" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sumac" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sumac" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sumac" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "burgundy" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sumac", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any of various shrubs or small trees of the genus Rhus and certain other genera in Anacardiaceae. uncountable, usually
"The Rhamnus of Maderaspatan, and the Trifoliate Sumachs from the Coaſt of Africa, are altogether new."
- 2 Alternative form of soumak. alt-of, alternative, uncountable
- 3 a shrub or tree of the genus Rhus (usually limited to the non-poisonous members of the genus) wordnet
- 4 Any of various shrubs or small trees of the genus Rhus and certain other genera in Anacardiaceae.; particularly, one of species Rhus coriaria (tanner's sumac) uncountable, usually
"."
- 5 wood of a sumac wordnet
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Dried and chopped-up leaves and stems of a plant of the genus Rhus, particularly tanner's sumac (see sense 1), used for dyeing and tanning leather or for medicinal purposes. uncountable, usually
- 7 A sour spice popular in the Eastern Mediterranean, made from the berries of tanner's sumac. uncountable, usually
"The spices used in this bread are zaatar and sumack. [...] Sumack is a spice derived from the berries of a bush that grows wild in all Mediterranean areas. The berries are dried and crushed to form a coarse purple-red powder. It has a sour taste."
Verb
- 1 To apply a preparation of sumac to (an object), for example, to a piece of leather to tan it. transitive
"After this operation, the goods muſt be winched and well planked, or otherwiſe cleaned; they are then, according to the quality of them, to be ſumached, and then ſnitchelled off, and waſhed."
Antonyms
Example
"The Rhamnus of Maderaspatan, and the Trifoliate Sumachs from the Coaſt of Africa, are altogether new."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sumac"?
Common synonyms include: burgundy, bush, condiment, crimson, ebony, oak.
How do you use "sumac" in a sentence?
The Rhamnus of Maderaspatan, and the Trifoliate Sumachs from the Coaſt of Africa, are altogether new.
How do you pronounce "sumac"?
Pronounced /ˈs(j)uːmæk/.
Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English sumac, asimac, simak, sumak, symak (“portions of the shrub Rhus coriaria, chiefly used for medicinal purposes”), from Anglo-Norman sumak, symak, and Old French sumac, or directly from its etymon Medieval Latin sumach, sumac, from Arabic سُمَّاق (summāq), from Classical Syriac ܣܘܡܩܐ (summāqā, “red; sumac”). The English word is cognate with Italian sommaco, sommacco, Occitan simac, Portuguese sumagre, Spanish zumaque. The verb is derived from the noun.