sweet gum: Meaning and Definition of

sweet' gum'

1. a tall, aromatic tree, Liquidambar styraciflua, of the eastern U.S., having star-shaped leaves and fruits in rounded, burlike clusters.
2. the hard reddish-brown wood of this tree, used for making furniture.
3. the amber balsam exuded by this tree, used in the manufacture of perfumes and medicines. Also called