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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The show was a colorful, vibrant display of Puerto Rican and pan-Latin American culture, featuring a dynamic set showcasing the history of workers in sugarcane fields to the modern joys of everyday life and an actual legal wedding onstage. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026 Set the scene Kōloa’s deep connection to sugarcane is at the foundation of how guests experience the property. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026 The toads had gone rogue, consuming native frogs, birds, insects, small marsupials, even Ping-Pong balls and cigarette butts flicked toward them at pubs—almost everything except the swarms of sugarcane beetles they had been imported to feed on. — Kimon De Greef, Longreads, 4 Aug. 2026 Gumede plans to power and supply regional markets with electricity using both Illovo and Tongaat refineries to produce bio-ethanol and converting leftover sugarcane fiber. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sugarcane

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

Rhymes for sugarcane

See All Rhymes for sugarcane

Browse Nearby Words

sugar-candy
sugarcane
sugarcane beetle
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sugarcane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sugarcane. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All