sour gum

noun

a tree, Nyssa sylvatica, of eastern North America, having elliptic leaves, dark-blue, berrylike fruit, and wood with a variety of commercial uses.
Also called black gum, beetlebung, pepperidge.
Compare tupelo.

Origin of sour gum

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

Words nearby sour gum

sour cherry, sour cream, sour dock, sour gourd, sour grapes, sour gum, sour mash, sour on, sour orange, sour salt, sour-milk cheese

Example sentences from the Web for black gum

  • The leaves of the sour-gum, the first tree to turn, showed blood-red.

    Wild Folk |Samuel Scoville

British Dictionary definitions for black gum

sour gum

noun

a cornaceous tree, Nyssa sylvatica, of the eastern US, having glossy leaves, soft wood, and sour purplish fruits Also called: black gum, pepperidge See also tupelo Compare sweet gum