tule

American  

[too-lee, too-le] / ˈtu li, ˈtu lɛ /

noun

plural

tules

1. either of two large bulrushes, Scirpus lacustris or S. acutus, found in California and adjacent regions in inundated lands and marshes.

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Etymology

Origin of tule

1830–40, < Mexican Spanish < Nahuatl tōlin

Example Sentences

Then, for years, tule fog seemed to form less often.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

This tule fog upended that trend, thanks to the exceptional fall weather conditions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

Tribal youths worked with elders to harvest tule — a stalky plant native to California’s wetlands — and use it to build traditional boats.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

Myers’ vision for the area included reintroducing animals that had once been native inhabitants, including tule elk and bighorn sheep, and obliterating man-made intrusions, such as a rock quarry, petroleum waste pits, fences and roads.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2025

The shore of the lake is completely covered with a great deal of tule.

From Colonial Expeditions to the Interior of California Central Valley, 1800-1820 Anthropological Records 16(6):239-292, 1958 by Cook, Sherburne Friend