acer

IPA/ˈeɪsə(r)/
KK[ˈesɚ]IPA/ˈeɪsər/

acer — noun

  • acersingular
  • acersplural

1. a maple tree, especially one planted for its shaped leaves, which often change t

1.noun
Definition

a maple tree, especially one planted for its shaped leaves, which often change to red, gold, or orange as autumn comes.

Example

The acer outside the library turned bright orange after the first cold week.

acer + location in the main clause

Mr. Huang planted an acer beside the pond to give shade in summer.

plant an acer

Common collocations
  • acer leaves
  • young acer
  • plant an acer
  • red-leaved acer
Synonyms
  • maple

    the normal everyday word; 'acer' is mostly used in botany and gardening

  • maple tree

    clearer for learners when you want to stress that it is the tree itself

Grammar Patterns

an acer

acers

Usage Note

Mainly a gardening or botanical word. In everyday English, most people say 'maple' instead of 'acer'.

Common Mistakes

There are many acer in this park.
There are many acers in this park.
use the plural form 'acers' after 'many'.
We planted a maple acer by the wall.
We planted an acer by the wall.
'acer' already names a kind of maple.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Acer' and 'maple' usually point to the same group of trees, but they belong to different styles of English. 'Maple' is the normal everyday word, while 'acer' sounds botanical and is common in plant labels, garden books, and nursery catalogues. 'Maple tree' is useful when learners need the clearest everyday phrase for the whole tree, not its wood or syrup. 'Japanese maple' is narrower: it names one popular garden type with fine leaves and strong autumn colour, so it cannot replace 'acer' in a general sense. A gardener may write that an acer likes light shade, but a family in the park will usually just say they sat under a maple tree.

acer ↗maple ↗maple treeJapanese maple

Etymology

LatinNew LatinEnglish

'Acer' entered English as the scientific Latin name for the maple group. Botanists use New Latin Acer for this genus, based on the older Latin word 'acer', which already meant 'maple'. That history explains why the word sounds technical in modern English, while everyday speech usually prefers 'maple'.