Illustration of elm
- elm 1
1
: any of a genus (Ulmus of the family Ulmaceae, the elm family) of usually large deciduous north temperate-zone trees with alternate stipulate leaves and fruit that is a samara
2
: the wood of an elm
Examples of elm in a Sentence
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To analyze the ecological impacts of the invasive mushrooms, the team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the U.S. Forest Service collected samples of wood shavings from 26 dead elm trees in local Wisconsin forests in summer 2022.
—
Amber X. Chen, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2025
The original liberty tree was named in Boston in 1765, when a large elm tree was used as a gathering place for protestors of the Stamp Act.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
The ancient Ho-Chunk, who also inhabited modern-day Illinois and elsewhere, then turned to the arrow-straight elm, despite its unyielding, hardwood structure.
—Jacqueline Kehoe, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2024
Inside the routing of the course — land lined by Oakmont’s perimeter of trees, and decorated by a few sycamores and oaks in front of the clubhouse — a couple of elms were left dotting the property.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 14 June 2025
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Amber X. Chen, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2025
The original liberty tree was named in Boston in 1765, when a large elm tree was used as a gathering place for protestors of the Stamp Act.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
The ancient Ho-Chunk, who also inhabited modern-day Illinois and elsewhere, then turned to the arrow-straight elm, despite its unyielding, hardwood structure.
—Jacqueline Kehoe, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2024
Inside the routing of the course — land lined by Oakmont’s perimeter of trees, and decorated by a few sycamores and oaks in front of the clubhouse — a couple of elms were left dotting the property.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for elm
Cite this Entry
“Elm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elm. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
elm
noun1
: any of a genus of large deciduous trees that have toothed leaves and nearly circular one-seeded winged fruits and are often grown as shade trees
especially
: american elm
2
: the wood of an elm
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