cottonwood
UK[ˈkɒt.ən.wʊd]US[ˈkɑː.t̬ən.wʊd]
n
a north american poplar tree with seeds covered in white cottony hairs.
n
the soft wood of this tree.
Morpheme Breakdown
cotton
wood
cotton
tree
wood
Etymology
the word 'cottonwood' is a transparent compound formed within english. the first element, 'cotton', was borrowed into english via old french and italian from the arabic 'quṭun', referring to the soft, fibrous material. it is used descriptively in this compound to characterize the tree's distinctive seed filaments, which resemble balls of cotton wool. the second element, 'wood', derives from the old english 'wudu', a common germanic term for tree or forest, which here specifies the botanical category. thus, the compound literally means "a tree with cotton-like seeds," a name directly reflecting a prominent visual characteristic of the tree.
Analysis
Structure: cotton + wood
cotton (from middle english 'cotoun', ultimately from arabic 'quṭun', referring to the cotton plant and its fibrous product; here, it functions as a descriptive element denoting a cotton-like substance). wood (from old english 'wudu', meaning 'tree' or 'forest'; functions as the head noun indicating a type of tree).
Examples
the tall cottonwood by the riverbank shed its fluffy seeds in early summer.
cottonwood is often used for making boxes and cheap furniture.
we rested in the shade of a massive old cottonwood.