tupelo Hear it!

tupelo definition

☆ tu·pelo (to̵̅o̅′pə lō′)

noun pl. tupelos -·los′

  1. any of a genus (Nyssa) of the sour-gum family of tall North American trees found in moist forests or swamps, including the black gum and cotton gum
  2. the fine-textured wood of such a tree, used for mallets, furniture, etc.

Etymology: < ? Creek *'topilwa, lit., swamp tree < íto, tree + opílwa, swamp

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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