opepen.
/əʊˈpeɪpeɪ/, U.S. /oʊˈpeɪpeɪ/ The yellowish wood of any of several West African trees, esp. Nauclea diderrichii (family Rubiaceae). Also: any of the trees producing this wood.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular timber trees or shrubs > non-British timber trees > [noun] > African
shittima1382
citrus1555
cam-wood1699
jacaranda1753
kokerboom1774
quiver tree1789
geelhout1790
rooihout1790
yellowwood1790
mat-wood1792
assegai1793
assegai tree1793
hardpear1801
rooi els1801
argan1809
beaver-wood1810
mat tree1812
saffraan1819
salie1819
sneezewood1834
African teak1842
hyawaballi1851
sage-wood1854
mvule1858
til1858
yari-yari1858
cannibal stinkwood1859
kiaat1862
knobwood1862
milkwood1862
tryssil1862
sulphur-tree1863
khaya1864
cailcedra1866
flat-crown1868
umzimbeet1870
kuka1882
odum1887
iroko1890
opepe1891
Natal mahogany1904
muhimbi1906
obeche1906
agba1908
makoré1915
afara1920
agboin1920
abura1921
podo1922
afrormosia1923
guarea1936
Mansonia1936
dahoma1955
utile1956
1891 Bull. Misc. Information (Royal Gardens, Kew) 43 Names of Yoruba Timbers... 4. Opepe.
1920 Nature 29 July 692/1 Other heavy constructional woods [in the Empire Timber Exhibition]..are..the gamboge-coloured Opepe..and Apa.
1956 Handbk. Hardwoods (Forest Products Res. Lab.) 180 Opepe grows up to 160 ft in height with a diameter at breast height up to 6 ft.
1972 Timber Trades Jrnl. 13 May 40/2 Opepe, an early substitute for greenheart, was originally thought to be a bottomless pit, but..the bottom of the pit had been reached about two years ago.
1997 Guardian 17 June (Educ. section) 10 The replica was built from African opepe.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1891