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

Since 2015, the ground in parts of the Tulare Lake area has subsided more than 6 feet, while part of the Tule area has dropped more than 7 feet.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Tule fog forms when heat escapes from the ground on clear, calm nights, and moisture in the air condenses into a low-lying mist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

Tule fog—a dense, low-lying mist named for a reedlike plant that grows in the region’s marshes—can settle over California’s vast agricultural heartland, typically from November through March.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

Tule grows in the yard in preparation for basket weaving.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

Like she wondered if all the terrible things she’d heard about Japan right before camp were true, but she also hoped all the wonderful things she’d heard about Japan inside of Tule Lake were true.

From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata