Kapok
//ˈkeɪpɒk// noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra) used for insulation and stuffing for mattresses, pillows, etc. countable, uncountable
"The moon came out of hiding and for a moment Jerry forgot his anxiety as a little grey-clad figure, small and sturdy [...], in a kapok coat and bulging proletarian cap, lowered himself over the side and leapt for the waiting arms of the sampan's crew."
- 2 massive tropical tree with deep ridges on its massive trunk and bearing large pods of seeds covered with silky floss; source of the silky kapok fiber wordnet
- 3 A silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra). countable, uncountable
- 4 a plant fiber from the kapok tree; used for stuffing and insulation wordnet
- 5 A cotton tree, Malabar silk-cotton tree, or red silk-cotton tree (Bombax ceiba). countable, uncountable
Example
More examples"The moon came out of hiding and for a moment Jerry forgot his anxiety as a little grey-clad figure, small and sturdy [...], in a kapok coat and bulging proletarian cap, lowered himself over the side and leapt for the waiting arms of the sampan's crew."
Etymology
Borrowed from Malay kapuk (“silky fibre from the silk-cotton tree; Ceiba pentandra”).
Related phrases
More for "kapok"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.