silk-cotton tree

[silk-kot-n]

noun

1. any of several spiny trees belonging to the genus Ceiba, of the bombax family, having palmately compound leaves and seeds surrounded by silk cotton, especially C. pentandra, from which kapok is obtained.

silk-cotton tree

noun

1. Also called: kapok tree. any of several tropical bombacaceous trees of the genus Ceiba, esp Ceiba pentandra, having seeds covered with silky hairs from which kapok is obtained

Word History and Origins

Origin of silk-cotton tree¹

First recorded in 1705–15