1. Massive tropical tree with deep ridges on its massive trunk and bearing large pods of seeds covered with silky floss; source of the silky kapok fibre
   "The ancient kapok tree towered over the rainforest canopy";
   - ceiba tree, silk-cotton tree, white silk-cotton tree, God tree, Ceiba pentandra
    
2. A plant fibre from the kapok tree; used for stuffing and insulation
   "Life jackets were once commonly filled with kapok for buoyancy";
   - silk cotton, vegetable silk

Derived forms: kapoks

Type of: angiospermous tree, flowering tree, plant fiber [US], plant fibre [Brit, Cdn]

Part of: cushioning, padding

Encyclopedia: Kapok