cottonwood

noun

cot·​ton·​wood ˈkä-tᵊn-ˌwu̇d How to pronounce cottonwood (audio)
: any of several poplars having seeds with cottony hairs
especially : one (Populus deltoides) of the eastern and central U.S. often cultivated for its rapid growth and luxuriant foliage

Examples of cottonwood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
El Monte Sagrado feels like an oasis, with ponds and towering cottonwood trees. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025 The fire department stated that the incident involved a vehicle and a person trapped under a large cottonwood tree. David Chiu, People.com, 12 Aug. 2025 The severe weather is part of the same storm system that brought strong winds with gusts higher than 80 mph to Nebraska, where one person was killed and another was seriously injured by a large cottonwood tree that toppled onto their vehicle. Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2025 Firefighters responded to Two Rivers State Recreation Area at about 7 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, where a cottonwood tree had fallen and crushed a vehicle with two people inside, the Waterloo Volunteer Fire Department said in a news release. Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cottonwood

Word History

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cottonwood was in 1802

Cite this Entry

“Cottonwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cottonwood. Accessed 26 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

cottonwood

noun
cot·​ton·​wood -ˌwu̇d How to pronounce cottonwood (audio)
: a poplar with a small bunch of cottony hairs on the seed
especially : one of the eastern and central U.S. that grows rapidly and produces many leaves

More from Merriam-Webster on cottonwood

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