cottonwood
noun
cot·ton·wood
ˈkä-tᵊn-ˌwu̇d 
: 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
The week before the ceremony, the community cuts down cottonwood trees and gathers yucca plants and other supplies for the dance.
—
Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025
The Canyon de Chelly National Monument, on the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona, encompasses 83,000-odd acres of sandstone peaks and plateaus towering above waterways dotted with pines, junipers, aspens and cottonwoods.
—Alastair Lee Bitsóí, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025
At the start of the season, pollen from alder, birchwood and cottonwood trees is most common.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 22 Mar. 2025
Kloss’ landscape prints deftly, insightfully capture the mountains and streams and gorges and cottonwood trees and snow and atmosphere of the terrain in and around Taos.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
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Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025
The Canyon de Chelly National Monument, on the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona, encompasses 83,000-odd acres of sandstone peaks and plateaus towering above waterways dotted with pines, junipers, aspens and cottonwoods.
—Alastair Lee Bitsóí, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025
At the start of the season, pollen from alder, birchwood and cottonwood trees is most common.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 22 Mar. 2025
Kloss’ landscape prints deftly, insightfully capture the mountains and streams and gorges and cottonwood trees and snow and atmosphere of the terrain in and around Taos.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cottonwood
Cite this Entry
“Cottonwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cottonwood. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cottonwood
noun
cot·ton·wood
-ˌwu̇d
: 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
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