Wacapou
/ˈwækəpuː/noun
A tropical South American tree of the genus Vouacapoua, especially Vouacapoua americana, valued for its hard timber.
Did you know?Wacapou is an English borrowing that ultimately reflects an Indigenous Guianan tree name, but its precise source language and original meaning remain uncertain.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-European contact
Indigenous Guiana
[uncertain Indigenous form]
“A local name for a large tropical hardwood tree; the precise original form is not securely identified.”
18th Century
French
ouacapou
“A Guianan tree, recorded in French colonial and botanical usage.”
18th–19th Century
Latin
Vouacapoua
“The botanical genus name created from the vernacular tree name.”
19th Century
English
wacapou
“An English form for the tropical South American tree.”
Modern English
English
wacapou
“A tree of the genus Vouacapoua, especially the timber-producing species Vouacapoua americana.”
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