sumac

or su·mach

[ soo-mak, shoo- ]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sumac¹

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

Example Sentences

Returning to the trail, with its soothing chorus of crickets, velvety laurel sumac shrubs and feathery wild grasses, something inside me loosened.

From Los Angeles Times

Acres of terraced growing areas and multiple greenhouses produced many native plants grown from seed collected around the park such as sumacs, ceanothus, yellow-blooming flannel bush, manzanitas, barberries, monkeyflowers, Catalina cherry, toyon and coffeeberry.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Salon

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

From Los Angeles Times

For example, since citrus was a no-go under the rules of the challenge, Sharman and Terry advised the chefs to use ingredients like sumac or aronia in order to add notes of acidity and bitterness.

From Salon