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tupelo

tupelo

9.9
A tree that grows in swampy parts of North America with hard wood and sometimes edible fruit
  • noun
  • /ˈtjuːpəloʊ/
  • US
translation icon : tupelo
  • The swamp was lined with old tupelo trees, their roots reaching into the water.
  • water tupelos

Examples

  • The tupelo tree thrives in the muddy waters of southern swamps.

  • The tupelo tree thrives in wetland areas.

  • Beekeepers prize tupelo trees for the light, sweet honey they produce.

  • In autumn, the leaves of the tupelo turn a brilliant red, brightening the marshy landscape.

  • Many birds nest in the branches of the tupelo.

  • In Mississippi, tupelo honey is renowned for its unique flavor and is often harvested from these trees.

  • Several species of tupelos provide essential shade in the humid wetlands of the southeastern United States.

Synonyms

tupelo tree
vstupelo
  • US
8.4

A tree in North America that grows in swamps, has hard wood and is often called a gum tree

is the broader name noting its genus and sometimes edible fruit
Nyssa
vstupelo
  • Specialized
9.9

A tree that loses its leaves and grows in wet places like swamps and near ponds

is the common North American tree name focusing on wood and fruit
genus Nyssa
vstupelo
  • Specialized
8.9

A group of trees called tupelos that lose their leaves and grow in wet places like swamps

is the everyday name emphasizing hard wood and occasional fruit

Compounds

tupelo family
  • Specialized
9.6

A group of flowering trees that includes sour gum trees

8.4

A tree in North America that grows in swamps, has hard wood and is often called a gum tree

Surface Forms

tupelo singular
tupelos plural

Etymology

Tupelo comes from a Native American word for a tree that grows in wet places, so it originally meant a 'swamp tree' or 'river tree'. That's why tupelo today names the wetland tree known for its hard trunk and for the light, sweet honey it helps produce.