From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsaplingsap‧ling /ˈsæplɪŋ/ noun [countable]HBPTAFa young treeExamples from the Corpussapling• So he stopped by the road and pulled up a sapling to use for a substitute.• The only thing that gave it away was a sapling curiously moving on a day when there was no wind.• I was surprised, therefore, to find three sphinx caterpillars still feeding on the ashsapling next to the cabin.• At a twist in the river lay the spinney, a clump of birchsaplingssprouting through a thicket of bramble.• There are also maple, spruce, pine and balsamfirsaplings, and patches of wildraspberries and blueberries.• A few leaves still clung optimistically to the limesaplings planted either side of the path leading to the reception.• It hadn't been and wasn't far away, just out of sight behind a group of saplings.• Most of the saplings, yes.