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Definition of black gum
black gum
Plural:black gums
• noun
1
North American A medium-sized deciduous tree of the dogwood family (Nyssa sylvatica) native to eastern North America, known for its deeply ridged bark, dark blue fruit, and brilliant red autumn foliage.
Example
"The black gum in our front yard turns a spectacular shade of crimson every October."
2
North American The light, tough, cross-grained wood of the black gum tree, historically valued because it is exceedingly difficult to split.
Example
"Pioneers frequently used black gum to carve sturdy wheel hubs and heavy-duty mallets."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for black gum• Nearby Words
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Black gum. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/black%20gum