A sapling is a young tree, usually less than 10 feet tall and not yet fully grown. Picture the difference between a towering oak that's been growing for decades and a slender tree you could wrap your hand around: that smaller tree is a sapling.

Saplings are at an important stage of life. They've survived being tiny seedlings, but they're still vulnerable to strong winds, drought, or hungry deer. Gardeners and forest rangers often protect saplings with wire cages or stakes until they grow strong enough to stand on their own. When you plant a tree in your yard, you're usually planting a sapling that will take years to reach its full height.

People sometimes call a young person a sapling when they're growing tall and lanky, though this use is less common. The word emphasizes potential: a sapling might look small now, but give it time and the right conditions, and it could become one of the mightiest trees in the forest.