cottonwood

[ kot-n-wood ]

noun

1. any of several American poplars, as Populus deltoides, having toothed, triangular leaves and cottonlike tufts on the seeds.

cottonwood

/ ˈkɒtənˌwʊd /

noun

1. any of several North American poplars, esp Populus deltoides, whose seeds are covered with cottony hairs
2. Also calledtauhinu a native New Zealand shrub, Cassinia leptophylla , with daisy-like flowers

Word History and Origins

Origin of cottonwood¹

An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805; cotton + wood ¹

Example Sentences

Tall cottonwood trees and willows enveloped the riverbanks in cool shade and swallows soared among the branches.

From Los Angeles Times

And she has analyzed how different types of trees, including willows, cottonwoods and oaks, fare when water levels fall depending on the depth of their roots.

From Los Angeles Times

There is a grand old cottonwood tree that rises up from the edge of the Kirkland urban buffer behind my house.

From Seattle Times

Hiking through the Wishbone area last summer, advocates noted cedar, hemlock, maple, cottonwood and alder trees, as well as huckleberries, gooseberries and devil’s club plants.

From Seattle Times

Some of the most common tree pollens that cause allergies include birch, cedar, cottonwood, maple, elm, oak and walnut, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

From Seattle Times