kapokn.
/ˈkeɪpɒk/, U.S. /ˈkeɪˌpɑk/ A large tropical tree, Ceiba casearia; silk cotton, the fibre produced from the soft covering of the seeds within its fruit, used to stuff mattresses, cushions, etc. Also attributive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > yielding fibre, thatching, or basket material > [adjective] > of or relating to other fibre or thatch-yielding plants
kapok1735
sea-island1834
kie-kie1847
yedda1918
sweet-grass1926
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > yielding fibre, thatching, or basket material > [noun] > trees or shrubs yielding fibre, etc. > silk-cotton trees
gossipine1589
gossampine1601
cotton tree1670
god tree1681
silk-cotton tree1712
kapok1735
semul1809
ceiba1810
wool-tree1831
bombax1834
munguba1863
cabbage wood1885
1735 T. Salmon Mod. Hist. XXVII. vi. 186 There is also [in Guinea] the Capot Tree, that bears a sort of Cotton.
1750 W. Beawes Lex Mercatoria (1752) 817 Capoc (a sort of very fine Cotton).
1795 C. R. Hopson tr. C. P. Thunberg Trav. (ed. 2) II. 284 The cotton which encloses the seed in the capsule, is called Kapock, and is not used for spinning, but for making mattrasses, bolsters, and pillows.
1858 in P. L. Simmonds Dict. Trade Products
1881 H. Watts Dict. Chem. VIII. 1144 The kapok-tree..of Java and the Indian Archipelago bears a seed resembling..that of the cotton plant.
1881 H. Watts Dict. Chem. VIII. 1144 Kapok cake.
1887 C. A. Moloney Sketch Forestry W. Afr. 184.
1888 Hatter's Gaz. 1 Mar. 143/2 In Java, where it is met with abundantly, kapok has attracted considerable attention... It was first imported into Europe in 1851.
1907 Yesterday's Shopping (1969) 692/2 Life belts. ‘Kapok’ pillow belt.
1940 E. J. H. Corner Wayside Trees Malaya I. 436 The Kapok is grown mainly for the wool obtained from the fruits.
1958 J. Slimming Temiar Jungle v. 77 Chabok..raised his blow-pipe, quickly inserting a dart into the mouthpiece and packing the end with a small twist of raw kapok.
1963 J. Kirkup Tropic Temper 33 It had a good firm mattress stuffed with locally-grown fresh kapok.
1963 J. Kirkup Tropic Temper 127 The kapok tree's gaunt appearance with its thin branches stuck out at right-angles to the dead-straight trunk, has earned it the nickname of P.W.D. tree. (Because people think it resembles a telegraph pole erected by the Public Works Department.)
1966 D. Forbes Heart of Malaya vi. 66 The kapok tree, called the midnight horror, with its long seed pods hanging down like drooping fingers, and the fan palm were common enough.
1974 L. Deighton Spy Story xx. 209 We stood around..wearing kapok-lined white snow-suits.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1901; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1735