A tropical Brazilian tree that produces hard, durable wood used in construction and furniture making.
From Portuguese cipó, originally from Tupi-Guarani languages of Brazil, referring to woody lianas and trees in the Amazon region. The word entered European languages through Portuguese colonial trade.
The cipo tree is so hard and rot-resistant that it was historically used to build ships and railway ties—Portuguese explorers discovered that wood from the Amazon could outlast European oak in tropical conditions, revolutionizing colonial construction.
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