poplar

American  

[pop-ler] / ˈpɒp lər /

noun

1. any of the rapidly growing, salicaceous trees of the genus Populus, usually characterized by the columnar or spirelike manner of growth of its branches.

2. the light, soft wood of any of these trees, used for pulp.

3. any of various similar trees, as the tulip tree.

4. the wood of any such tree.

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poplar British  

/ ˈpɒplə /

noun

1. any tree of the salicaceous genus Populus, of N temperate regions, having triangular leaves, flowers borne in catkins, and light soft wood See also aspen balsam poplar Lombardy poplar white poplar

2. any of various trees resembling the true poplars, such as the tulip tree

3. the wood of any of these trees

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Other Word Forms

• poplared adjective

Etymology

Origin of poplar

1350–1400; Middle English popler ( e ), variant of populer, equivalent to Middle English, Old English popul popple ² (< Latin pōpulus poplar) + -er -er ²; suffix apparently added on model of Middle French pouplier, equivalent to pouple poplar + -ier -ier ²

Example Sentences

Common examples include species of acacia, eucalyptus, poplar, and pine.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

When rarer trees are found, like wild service, black poplar and juniper, seed is taken for growing in polytunnels and outdoors at the nursery until they are ready to be planted.

From BBC • Sep. 17, 2024

Ranchera music filled her section of the field as a cool breeze blew through four towering poplar trees Alvarez’s father, Hilario Alvarez, planted when he bought the farm in 1988.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 22, 2023

Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands—One day in May, a team of scientists parked their cars in a German nature park near the Baltic Sea and stared at the top of a 30-meter-tall black poplar tree.

From Science Magazine • Sep. 26, 2023

Most of the poplar trees had been chopped down—the trees Hassan and I used to climb to shine our mirrors into the neighbors’ homes.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini