sugarcane

noun

sug·​ar·​cane ˈshu̇-gər-ˌkān How to pronounce sugarcane (audio)
: a stout tall perennial grass (Saccharum officinarum) native to tropical southeast Asia that has a large terminal panicle and is widely grown in warm regions as a source of sugar

Illustration of sugarcane

Illustration of sugarcane

Examples of sugarcane in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For example, the famous case of cane toads, brought to Australia to try to control insects munching on sugarcane crops, quickly became an-ever-expanding menace in their own right. Popular Science, 29 Feb. 2024 While rum is mostly made from molasses, rhum agricole is produced using sugarcane juice. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2024 Agribusiness took over huge areas of the islands for cattle grazing, sugarcane and pineapple plantations. Jean Lee, NBC news, 3 Feb. 2024 The drinks menu prioritizes sugarcane and agave spirits: rums, tequilas and mezcals, in addition to more obscure spirits like Shōchū (from Japan), bacanora and sotol (northern Mexico) and rhum agricole (French Caribbean). David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 2 Feb. 2024 Mandalay Kitchen, in the former Marc Heu Patisserie spot on University and Western avenues, serves classic dishes like sugarcane juice, a green tea-leaf salad called lahpet thoke, and a Burmese fish stew called mohinga. Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2024 Typically consumed in the early morning, this frothy blend of coffee, chocolate and sugarcane distillate is topped off with a few squirts of milk fresh from the cow’s udder, with local venue Pajaretes Contreras serving as a top spot for sampling the drink. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023 Crop Over’s summer fete is tied to when enslaved people celebrated the end of sugarcane season or the crop was over. Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2024 Tourism arose in the mid-twentieth century after plantation owners moved sugarcane operations to countries with cheaper labor and fewer regulations. Crai S. Bower, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sugarcane.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sugarcane was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near sugarcane

Cite this Entry

“Sugarcane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sugarcane. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sugarcane

noun
sug·​ar·​cane ˈshu̇g-ər-ˌkān How to pronounce sugarcane (audio)
: a tall tropical grass that has a thick jointed stem and is widely grown in warm regions as a source of sugar
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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