tupelo

UK: /ˈtjuːpɪˌləʊ/ US: (to̅o̅′pə lō′, tyo̅o̅′-)

Inflections of 'tupelo' (n): npl: tupelos

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

tu•pe•lo  (to̅o̅′pə lō′, tyo̅o̅′-), n., pl. -los. 

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

• Creek *'topilwa literally, swamp tree (equivalent. to íto tree + opílwa swamp)
• perh. 1720–30, American.

Tu•pe•lo  (to̅o̅′pə lō′, tyo̅o̅′-), n. 

1. Place Names a city in NE Mississippi. 23,905.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

tupelo / ˈtjuːpɪˌləʊ/ noun ( -los)

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

Etymology: 18th Century: from Creek ito opilwa, from ito tree + opilwa swamp