Silk-cotton tree

Silk-cotton tree
Silk Silk, n. [OE. silk, selk, AS. seolc, seoloc; akin to Icel. silki, SW. & Dan. silke; prob. through Slavic from an Oriental source; cf. Lith. szilkai, Russ. shelk', and also L. sericum Seric stuff, silk. Cf. {Sericeous}. {Serge} a woolen stuff.] 1. The fine, soft thread produced by various species of caterpillars in forming the cocoons within which the worm is inclosed during the pupa state, especially that produced by the larv[ae] of {Bombyx mori}. [1913 Webster]

2. Hence, thread spun, or cloth woven, from the above-named material. [1913 Webster]

3. That which resembles silk, as the filiform styles of the female flower of maize. [1913 Webster]

{Raw silk}, silk as it is wound off from the cocoons, and before it is manufactured.

{Silk cotton}, a cottony substance enveloping the seeds of the silk-cotton tree.

{Silk-cotton tree} (Bot.), a name for several tropical trees of the genera {Bombax} and {Eriodendron}, and belonging to the order {Bombace[ae]}. The trees grow to an immense size, and have their seeds enveloped in a cottony substance, which is used for stuffing cushions, but can not be spun.

{Silk flower}. (Bot.) (a) The silk tree. (b) A similar tree ({Calliandra trinervia}) of Peru.

{Silk fowl} (Zo["o]l.), a breed of domestic fowls having silky plumage.

{Silk gland} (Zo["o]l.), a gland which secretes the material of silk, as in spider or a silkworm; a sericterium.

{Silk gown}, the distinctive robe of a barrister who has been appointed king's or queen's counsel; hence, the counsel himself. Such a one has precedence over mere barristers, who wear stuff gowns. [Eng.]

{Silk grass} (Bot.), a kind of grass ({Stipa comata}) of the Western United States, which has very long silky awns. The name is also sometimes given to various species of the genera {Aqave} and {Yucca}.

{Silk moth} (Zo["o]l.), the adult moth of any silkworm. See {Silkworm}.

{Silk shag}, a coarse, rough-woven silk, like plush, but with a stiffer nap.

{Silk spider} (Zo["o]l.), a large spider ({Nephila plumipes}), native of the Southern United States, remarkable for the large quantity of strong silk it produces and for the great disparity in the sizes of the sexes.

{Silk thrower}, {Silk throwster}, one who twists or spins silk, and prepares it for weaving. --Brande & C.

{Silk tree} (Bot.), an Asiatic leguminous tree ({Albizzia Julibrissin}) with finely bipinnate leaves, and large flat pods; -- so called because of the abundant long silky stamens of its blossoms. Also called {silk flower}.

{Silk vessel}. (Zo["o]l.) Same as {Silk gland}, above.

{Virginia silk} (Bot.), a climbing plant ({Periploca Gr[ae]ca}) of the Milkweed family, having a silky tuft on the seeds. It is native in Southern Europe. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • silk-cotton tree — [silk′kät΄ n] n. any of several large, tropical, trees (genera Bombax and Ceiba) of the bombax family that have capsular fruits with silky hairs around the seeds …   English World dictionary

  • silk-cotton tree — noun 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 • Syn: ↑kapok, ↑ceiba tree, ↑white silk cotton tree, ↑Bombay ceiba, ↑God tree, ↑Ceiba… …   Useful english dictionary

  • silk-cotton tree — /silk kot n/ any of several spiny trees belonging to the genus Ceiba, of the bombax family, having palmately compound leaves and seeds surrounded by silk cotton, esp. C. pentandra, from which kapok is obtained. [1705 15] * * * …   Universalium

  • silk-cotton tree — /sɪlk ˈkɒtn ˌtri/ (say silk kotn .tree) noun any of several trees of the family Bombacaceae, having seeds surrounded by silk cotton, especially Ceiba pentandra, from which kapok is obtained …  

  • silk-cotton tree — noun Date: 1712 any of various tropical trees (family Bombacaceae, the silk cotton family) with palmate leaves and large fruits with the seeds enveloped by silk cotton; especially ceiba 1 …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • silk cotton tree — American cotton tree, tree that belongs to the Ceiba family …   English contemporary dictionary

  • silk-cotton tree — noun a tree which produces kapok. [Bombax ceiba (India) and Ceiba pentandra (the ceiba, tropical America).] …   English new terms dictionary

  • white silk-cotton tree — noun 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 • Syn: ↑kapok, ↑ceiba tree, ↑silk cotton tree, ↑Bombay ceiba, ↑God tree, ↑Ceiba pentandra • …   Useful english dictionary

  • red silk-cotton tree — noun East Indian silk cotton tree yielding fibers inferior to kapok • Syn: ↑simal, ↑Bombax ceiba, ↑Bombax malabarica • Hypernyms: ↑tree • Member Holonyms: ↑Bombax, ↑genus Bombax …   Useful english dictionary

  • Silk cotton tree — Ceiba (E) …   EthnoBotanical Dictionary

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