plains cottonwood

noun

variants or plains poplar

: a large poplar (Populus sargentii) chiefly of the Great Plains region of North America having deeply furrowed gray bark and broadly oval leaves with coarse curved teeth and long points

Word History

Etymology

from the Great Plains

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!