sumac

American  

[soo-mak, shoo-] / ˈsu mæk, ˈʃu- /

Or sumach

noun

1. any of several shrubs or small trees belonging to the genus Rhus of the cashew family, having milky sap, compound leaves, and small, fleshy fruit.

2. a preparation of the dried and powdered leaves, bark, etc., of certain species of Rhus, especially R. coriaria of southern Europe, used especially in tanning.

3. the wood of these trees.

---

Etymology

Origin of sumac

1250–1300; Middle English < Medieval Latin < Arabic summāq

Example Sentences

“Recipes From the American South” is a cookbook that I will come back to again and again for its roasts and stews, cakes and pies—and surprises like Appalachian lemonade made from sumac.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

Hardly a week goes by without using saffron, turmeric, pomegranate molasses, tamarind, cinnamon, or sumac in my cooking.

From Salon • Sep. 15, 2024

He also recommends planting lemonade berry and pink flowering sumac to replace non-native hedges.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2024

For full-spectrum flavor, you could also include a pinch of sumac for sourness, a fleck of crushed dried seaweed for savoriness and a dash of poppy seeds for sweet nuttiness.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 15, 2023

Chuckling at his own foolishness, he straightened his clothes and made his way back to the road through the sumac, brushing away invisible strands of spiderweb that clung tickling to his face.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss