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.
Unlike the sugarcane-ethanol success story, Brazil’s biodiesel, which is mostly made from soybeans, only makes up 14% of the diesel blend. ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026 Sugar and sugarcane were likely first domesticated in New Guinea about 8000 bce and then spread through trade routes across Asia. Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026 The juices of sugarcane, another grass, supply another 1,900 million metric tons. Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026 The state regulates 132 dams across Hawaii, most of them built as part of irrigation systems for the sugarcane industry, according to a 2019 infrastructure report by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Sugarcane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sugarcane. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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
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