cypress

1 of 2

noun (1)

cy·​press ˈsī-prəs 

1

a(1)

: any of a genus (Cupressus of the family Cupressaceae, the cypress family) of evergreen trees and shrubs with small overlapping leaves resembling scales

(2)

: any of several coniferous trees of the cypress family or the bald cypress family

especially : bald cypress sense 1

b

: the wood of a cypress tree

2

: branches of cypress used as a symbol of mourning

cypress

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a silk or cotton usually black gauze formerly used for mourning

Examples of cypress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The bi-level Shiki-shima Suite spans nearly an entire railcar and features a private hinoki cypress soaking tub. —Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

There are four Cuyamaca cypresses, a California incense cedar, a holy leaf cherry and dozens of other trees and shrubs including Hollywood berries and tea trees. —Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026

Dotted with palm and mossy cypress trees, the grounds host a 125,000-gallon, grotto-style pool with a slide and waterfalls, along with a basketball court and a dock. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 22 May 2026

The Senator was considered to be one of the oldest and tallest cypress trees in the world and was the centerpiece of Big Tree Park near Longwood. —Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English cipres, from Anglo-French ciprès, from Latin cyparissus, from Greek kyparissos

Noun (2)

Middle English ciprus, cipres, from Cyprus, Mediterranean island

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cypress

• bald cypress
• cypress vine
• Monterey cypress
• summer cypress

Kids Definition

cypress

noun

cy·​press

ˈsī-prəs

1

: any of a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs that are related to the pines and have overlapping scalelike leaves

2

: bald cypress

3

: the wood of a cypress tree

Geographical Definition

Cypress

geographical name

Cy·​press ˈsī-prəs 

city in southwestern California southeast of Los Angeles population 47,802