tupelo

[ too-puh-loh, tyoo- ]
/ ˈtu pəˌloʊ, ˈtyu- /

noun, plural tu·pe·los.

any of several trees of the genus Nyssa, having ovate leaves, clusters of minute flowers, and purple, berrylike fruit, especially N. aquatica, of swampy regions of the eastern, southern, and midwestern U.S.
the soft, light wood of these trees.

Origin of tupelo

1720–30, Americanism; perhaps < Creek *’topilwa literally, swamp tree (equivalent to íto tree + opílwa swamp)

Words nearby tupelo

tunney, tunny, tuonela, tup, tupamaro, tupelo, tupi, tupi-guarani, tupik, tuple, tupolev

Definition for tupelo (2 of 2)

Tupelo
[ too-puh-loh, tyoo- ]
/ ˈtu pəˌloʊ, ˈtyu- /

noun

a city in NE Mississippi.

Example sentences from the Web for tupelo

British Dictionary definitions for tupelo

tupelo
/ (ˈtjuːpɪˌləʊ) /

noun plural -los

any of several cornaceous trees of the genus Nyssa, esp N. aquatica, a large tree of deep swamps and rivers of the southern US
the light strong wood of any of these trees

Word Origin for tupelo

C18: from Creek ito opilwa, from ito tree + opilwa swamp