poplar

noun

pop·​lar ˈpä-plər 

1

a

: any of a genus (Populus) of slender catkin-bearing quick-growing deciduous trees (such as an aspen or cottonwood) of the willow family

b

: the wood of a poplar

2

: tulip tree sense 1

Examples of poplar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Boards are being cut The museum is rebuilding the 1805 meetinghouse at its original site and will use common wood species from the time: pine, poplar and oak, said Matthew Webster, the museum’s executive director of architectural preservation and research. —Ben Finley, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025

It may have been viewed as a technical masterpiece even as da Vinci was painting it on poplar in the early 1500s; certainly by 1550, it was known, at least, to be really very nice. —Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025

Eventually, the fast-growing pioneer species—willows and poplars—will give way to longer-living trees like red maples and sycamores. —Alessandra Schade, Vogue, 7 June 2025

Huge oaks and poplars were laid down like dominoes the full length of the ridge. —Barbara Kingsolver, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English popler, from Anglo-French, from Old French *pople poplar, from Latin populus

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing poplar

• balsam poplar
• Lombardy poplar
• tulip poplar
• yellow poplar

Kids Definition

poplar

noun

pop·​lar ˈpäp-lər 

1

: any of a genus of slender quick-growing trees (as an aspen or cottonwood) that have catkins for flowers and are related to the willows

2

: the wood of a poplar

Geographical Definition

Poplar

geographical name

Pop·​lar ˈpä-plər 

former metropolitan borough of eastern London, England, on the northern bank of the Thames River that is now part of the borough of Tower Hamlets