aspen
noun
as·pen ˈa-spən 
: any of several poplars (especially Populus tremula of Europe and P. tremuloides and P. grandidentata of North America) with leaves that flutter in the lightest wind because of their flattened petioles
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Other clonal aspen groves exist—a quirk of the trees’ unusual horizontal roots, which sprout their own stems—but very few even come close to rivaling Pando in mass. 
Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2022 Edward Sargent is tucked along New Mexico’s border with Colorado, consisting of high aspen meadows and ponderosa pine that provide habitat for elk and cougars. Jonathan Olivier, Outside Online, 21 Aug. 2018 In Utah—where humans have driven out predators such as wolves—wild mule deer and domestic cattle are crunching too quickly through Pando’s young aspen; the grove can no longer replace its clonal trees as fast as they are being lost. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2022 This campground in Fishlake National Forest sits partially within a grove of around 50,000 aspen trees united by a single root system. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2022 The house sits on an acre that backs up to the El Dorado National Forest with two creeks, a natural spring and a grove of about 400 aspen trees. Jon Schultz, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Feb. 2022 Clear-felling is different from clear-cutting because aspen trees can sprout new shoots from their roots. Lindsey Botts, The Arizona Republic, 23 Jan. 2022 Once again, the men’s snowboard halfpipe competition at X Games aspen came down to Japan’s Ayumu Hirano and Australia’s Scotty James. Michelle Bruton, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2022 The light shimmered off the aspen leaves like God’s own disco ball. New York Times, 3 Jan. 2022 See More
Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2022 Edward Sargent is tucked along New Mexico’s border with Colorado, consisting of high aspen meadows and ponderosa pine that provide habitat for elk and cougars. Jonathan Olivier, Outside Online, 21 Aug. 2018 In Utah—where humans have driven out predators such as wolves—wild mule deer and domestic cattle are crunching too quickly through Pando’s young aspen; the grove can no longer replace its clonal trees as fast as they are being lost. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2022 This campground in Fishlake National Forest sits partially within a grove of around 50,000 aspen trees united by a single root system. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2022 The house sits on an acre that backs up to the El Dorado National Forest with two creeks, a natural spring and a grove of about 400 aspen trees. Jon Schultz, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Feb. 2022 Clear-felling is different from clear-cutting because aspen trees can sprout new shoots from their roots. Lindsey Botts, The Arizona Republic, 23 Jan. 2022 Once again, the men’s snowboard halfpipe competition at X Games aspen came down to Japan’s Ayumu Hirano and Australia’s Scotty James. Michelle Bruton, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2022 The light shimmered off the aspen leaves like God’s own disco ball. New York Times, 3 Jan. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, of an aspen, from asp aspen, from Old English æspe; akin to Old High German aspa aspen, Russian osina
First Known Use
1593, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing aspen
Kids Definition
aspen
noun
as·pen ˈa-spən
: a poplar tree whose leaves move easily in the breeze
Geographical Definition
Aspen
geographical name
As·pen ˈa-spən
resort city in west central Colorado population 6658