Definition of maple

The origin of the word "maple" can be traced back to the Old English word "mægle," which literally translates to "morbidd" or "acrid." This may seem odd considering the sweet flavor of maple syrup, but the term "mægle" actually referred to the maple tree itself, not just its sap. In time, the term came to represent the unique flavor that the tree's sap produced when boiled down into syrup. The original meaning of "mægle" may also be used to explain why maple trees are associated with fall foliage. The maple's bright-colored leaves were once seen as a warning of the tree's bitterness - a sign that it should be avoided, especially during autumn when the tree's acrid taste became most pronounced. The word "maple" was carried over into Old Norse as "mavel," where it was used to describe a type of tree that also produced a sweet syrup. As Europeans migrated and colonized new lands, they encountered similar trees and adopted the Norse term "maple." However, the dark, dense sap of these trees would cause them to refer to its sweet flavor as "sugar," as opposed to "syrup," as was tradition in the Old English usage. In summary, the word "maple" originated in Old English as "mægle," which referred to the bitterness of the tree's taste, but evolved to mean the tree itself and its syrup-producing sap as the original meaning fell out of use.