kapok
kapok Lexical Profile
kapok Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A silky, highly buoyant, and water-resistant fiber obtained from the seed pods of the kapok tree, traditionally used as a stuffing for cushions, mattresses, and life jackets.
"Before synthetic materials became widely available, maritime life preservers were primarily stuffed with kapok to ensure maximum buoyancy in the water."
A large, emergent tropical rainforest tree native to Mexico, Central America, northern South America, and West Africa, characterized by a massive trunk with widespreading buttress roots.
"The indigenous tribes of the Amazon often regard the towering kapok as a sacred tree that connects the forest floor to the sky."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into English in the early 18th century from Malay 'kapuk', referring originally to both the tropical tree and the resilient silky fiber it produces.