Standard Lemma guide

buttonwood

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The common name given to at least three species of shrub or tree.

The mangrove tree (Conocarpus erectus, family Combretaceae) a tropical and subtropical species.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The common name given to at least three species of shrub or tree.

The American sycamore or American plane tree (Platanus occidentalis, family Platanaceae).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1824, Washington Irving (as Geoffrey Crayon), “Wolfert Webber, or Golden Dreams” in Tales of a Traveller, Volume 2, Part 4, Philadelphia: H.C. Carey & I. Lea, p. 55, Thus quietly and comfortably did this excellent family vegetate under the shade of a mighty buttonwood tree, which by little and little grew so great as entirely to overshadow their palace.
  • 1835, Fanny Kemble, Journal of a Residence in America, Paris: A. and W. Galignani, entry dated Sunday, 13 January, 1833, p. 234, When near, the trees look singularly deplorable and untidy, although at the distance, the red-brown of the faded oaks mingling with the bright, vivid, green cedars, and here and there a silver-barked buttonwood tree raising its white delicate branches from among them, produce a very agreeable and harmonious blending to the eye.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The common name given to at least three species of shrub or tree.

California sycamore or western sycamore (Platanus racemosa).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

very large spreading plane tree of eastern and central North America to Mexico

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: American sycamore, American plane, Platanus occidentalis

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: plane tree, sycamore, platan

History

Etymology

From button + wood.