NYT Dictionary

CATALPA

/kəˈtælpə/
NounCA-tal-paca-tal-pa · 3 syllablesGrade 10

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026

Meaning

Any tree of the genus Catalpa, in the family Bignoniaceae. The two North American species, the southern catalpa, Catalpa bignonioides, and the northern catalpa, Catalpa speciosa — along with the yellow catalpa, Catalpa ovata, from China — are often planted as ornamentals because of their showy flowers and decorative bean pods, though others regard the bean pods as a nuisance.

Etymology

Origin: Unknown

* A variant of catawba that originated when Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, the describing botanist, incorrectly transcribed the name. * Sometimes alternatively said to derive from Creek kvtvrpv.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

ebonyoaktree

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 5 recorded puzzles:

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