tule

noun

tu·​le ˈtü-lē 

plural tules

1

: any of various large bulrushes

especially : a tall sedge (Schoenoplectus acutus synonym Scirpus acutus) of North America that grows in dense stands along freshwater wetlands

The roots and seeds of tule, a reed that grows along shorelines and in the shallows, were eaten and the reeds themselves were used to make baskets, cord, sandals and clothing.

—Philip Kopper et al.

2

chiefly California : land on which tules are the dominant or characteristic native plant

—usually plural

This habitat is fed and flooded by Butte Creek and is defined by a matrix of marsh, tules, shallow waterways and uplands with oaks and willows.

—Tom Stienstra

Examples of tule in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One ‘ewaa is thatched with tule reed and the others have been made using broom baccharis, which grows on site, Cohen said. —Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026

But most tule marshes in California are now lost to development. —Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 21 Jan. 2026

That tule fog is expected to remain in those areas, though offshore winds from the east have helped keep most of the region clear of it, NWS meteorologist Karleisa Rogacheski said. —Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026

According to the National Weather Service, Central Valley's tule fog can appear exceptionally thick from October through to February. —Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Nahuatl tōllin

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tule

• tule elk