silk-cotton tree

noun

silk-cot·​ton tree ˈsilk-ˈkä-tᵊn- 

variants or silk cotton tree

: any of various tropical trees (family Malvaceae, the mallow family) with palmate leaves and large fruits with the seeds enveloped by silk cotton

especially : kapok sense 1

Word History

First Known Use

1712, in the meaning defined above