Dictionary

kapok en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Received-Pronunciation) audio
• /ˈkɑːpəʊk/ (Singapore)
• [ˈkɑːpəʊʔ] (Singapore)
• /ˈkeɪˌpɑk/ (General-American)
• /ˈkeɪpɒk/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Borrowed from Malay kapuk (“silky fibre from the silk-cotton tree; Ceiba pentandra”).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra) used for insulation and stuffing for mattresses, pillows, etc.
   • 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. 1977, John Le Carré, The Honourable Schoolboy, Folio Society, published 2010, page 492:
   • A still summer night a world away in a house that smells of cactus and dust and musty kapok. 2014 [1993], Tim Winton, Land's Edge, Picador, page 15:
   • You can stuff them full of kapok to make a decent cushion and there is nothing better to carry frogs in. 1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber & Faber, published 2003, page 39:
2. (countable, uncountable) A silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra).
3. (countable, uncountable) A cotton tree, Malabar silk-cotton tree, or red silk-cotton tree (Bombax ceiba).

Forms

Deriveds

kapok bush · kapok tree

Synonyms

mumian · kapok tree · mapou · mumian · kapok tree

Translations (33)

id randu (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ca capoc (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · bg капок (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · pl kapok (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · cmn 木棉 (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · it kapoc (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · id kapuk (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ms kekabu (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · sa कूटशाल्मलि (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ja パンヤ (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · nan-hbl 扳枝花 (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · tl buboy (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · it capoc (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · nl kapok (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ru капо́к (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ceb duldol (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · de Kapok (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · nan-hbl 加薄棉 (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · yue 紅棉 /红棉 (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ceb kapok (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ky капок (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · pt paina (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · cmn 紅棉 /红棉 (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ga capóc (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · nan-hbl 胭脂花 (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ga capac (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · fi kapokki (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · es capoc (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ro capoc (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ms kapuk (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ar كَابُوك (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · ceb durol (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra)) · th นุ่น (silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra))