silk cotton

2 definitions found

silk cotton - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Silk \Silk\, n. [OE. silk, selk, AS. seolc, seoloc; akin to
     Icel. silki, SW. & Dan. silke; prob. through Slavic from an
     Oriental source; cf. Lith. szilkai, Russ. shelk', and also L.
     sericum Seric stuff, silk. Cf. Sericeous. Serge a woolen
     stuff.]
     1. The fine, soft thread produced by various species of
        caterpillars in forming the cocoons within which the worm
        is inclosed during the pupa state, especially that
        produced by the larvae of Bombyx mori.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Hence, thread spun, or cloth woven, from the above-named
        material.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. That which resembles silk, as the filiform styles of the
        female flower of maize.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Raw silk, silk as it is wound off from the cocoons, and
        before it is manufactured.
  
     Silk cotton, a cottony substance enveloping the seeds of
        the silk-cotton tree.
  
     Silk-cotton tree (Bot.), a name for several tropical trees
        of the genera Bombax and Eriodendron, and belonging to
        the order Bombaceae. The trees grow to an immense size,
        and have their seeds enveloped in a cottony substance,
        which is used for stuffing cushions, but can not be spun.
        
  
     Silk flower. (Bot.)
        (a) The silk tree.
        (b) A similar tree (Calliandra trinervia) of Peru.
  
     Silk fowl (Zool.), a breed of domestic fowls having silky
        plumage.
  
     Silk gland (Zool.), a gland which secretes the material of
        silk, as in spider or a silkworm; a sericterium.
  
     Silk gown, the distinctive robe of a barrister who has been
        appointed king's or queen's counsel; hence, the counsel
        himself. Such a one has precedence over mere barristers,
        who wear stuff gowns. [Eng.]
  
     Silk grass (Bot.), a kind of grass (Stipa comata) of the
        Western United States, which has very long silky awns. The
        name is also sometimes given to various species of the
        genera Aqave and Yucca.
  
     Silk moth (Zool.), the adult moth of any silkworm. See
        Silkworm.
  
     Silk shag, a coarse, rough-woven silk, like plush, but with
        a stiffer nap.
  
     Silk spider (Zool.), a large spider (Nephila plumipes),
        native of the Southern United States, remarkable for the
        large quantity of strong silk it produces and for the
        great disparity in the sizes of the sexes.
  
     Silk thrower, Silk throwster, one who twists or spins
        silk, and prepares it for weaving. --Brande & C.
  
     Silk tree (Bot.), an Asiatic leguminous tree (Albizzia  Julibrissin
        ) with finely bipinnate leaves, and large flat
        pods; -- so called because of the abundant long silky
        stamens of its blossoms. Also called silk flower.
  
     Silk vessel. (Zool.) Same as Silk gland, above.
  
     Virginia silk (Bot.), a climbing plant (Periploca  Gr[ae]ca
        ) of the Milkweed family, having a silky tuft on
        the seeds. It is native in Southern Europe.
        [1913 Webster]

silk cotton - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  silk cotton
      n 1: a plant fiber from the kapok tree; used for stuffing and
           insulation [syn: kapok, silk cotton, vegetable silk]