Definition

Noun: * A large, tropical tree (Ceiba pentandra) known for its enormous, often buttressed trunk with distinctive ridges, producing large seed pods filled with seeds coated in a silky, cotton-like fiber. It is the primary source of kapok fiber.

Usage

The term "ceiba tree" is used to specifically identify this species of tree, often in botanical, ecological, or material contexts. It functions as a countable noun.

Examples

• The ancient ceiba tree stood at the center of the village, its vast canopy providing shade for the community square.
• Kapok, a lightweight water-resistant fiber used for stuffing life jackets, is harvested from the seed pods of the ceiba tree.
• Botanists studied the unique ridge patterns on the trunk of the ceiba tree.

Advanced Usage

• In many cultures within its native range, the ceiba tree is considered sacred and is often associated with mythology and cosmology.
• The ceiba tree is sometimes called the "silkcotton tree" due to the fluffy fiber surrounding its seeds.

Variants and Related Words

• Kapok tree: A common synonym for the ceiba tree, emphasizing its commercial product.
• Silkcotton tree: Another synonym describing the tree's fiber.
• Ceiba (noun): Often used as a shortened form or to refer to the genus () which includes this and related species.
• Kapok (noun): The silky fiber obtained from the seed pods of the ceiba tree.

Synonyms

• Kapok tree
• Silk-cotton tree
• (scientific name)

Related Phrases/Idioms

• Sacred ceiba: A phrase highlighting the cultural and spiritual significance of the tree in various traditions.
• Buttressed trunk of the ceiba: A descriptive phrase noting a key physical characteristic of the mature tree.

Noun

1. 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