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.

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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

Vejar’s “ins” include native oaks and some sycamores, black walnut trees, desert willows, drought-tolerant African sumac and Chinese pistache.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 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

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

They carried baskets for picking herbs—oregano and mint, sumac and thyme.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye