Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

kapok

/ˈkeɪˌpɑk/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.72 in modern English

Syllables: ka-pok
IPA: /ˈkeɪˌpɑk/

15

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra) used for insulation and stuffing for mattresses, pillows, etc.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra).

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A cotton tree, Malabar silk-cotton tree, or red silk-cotton tree (Bombax ceiba).

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"The moon came out of hiding and for a moment Jerry forgot his anxiety as a little grey-clad figure, small and sturdy [...], in a kapok coat and bulging proletarian cap, lowered himself over the side and leapt for the waiting arms of the sampan's crew."
"You can stuff them full of kapok to make a decent cushion and there is nothing better to carry frogs in."
"A still summer night a world away in a house that smells of cactus and dust and musty kapok."

Etymology

Borrowed from Malay kapuk (“silky fibre from the silk-cotton tree; Ceiba pentandra”).

Word Breakdown

Root: kapuk

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈkeɪˌpɑk/
British English: /ˈkeɪpɒk/

Usage

Inflected Forms

kapoks (plural) capoc (alternative) kapoc (alternative)

Phrases

kapok bush kapok tree

Synonyms

mumian kapok tree mapou ceiba tree silk-cotton tree white silk-cotton tree bombay ceiba god tree ceiba pentandra

Questions

How do you pronounce kapok?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈkeɪˌpɑk/.
What does kapok mean?: A silky fibre obtained from seed pods of the silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentandra) used for insulation and stuffing for mattresses, pillows, etc.
Where does kapok come from?: Borrowed from Malay kapuk (“silky fibre from the silk-cotton tree; Ceiba pentandra”).

How to pronounce kapok

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “kapok”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈkeɪˌpɑk/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “kapok”.
Repeat and practice — Say “kapok” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.