kapok

Definition

A silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra) used for insulation and stuffing for mattresses, pillows, etc.

Etymology

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

Example Sentences

• "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."
• "You can stuff them full of kapok to make a decent cushion and there is nothing better to carry frogs in."
• "A still summer night a world away in a house that smells of cactus and dust and musty kapok."