live oak

noun

: any of several American evergreen oaks: such as
a
: a medium-sized oak (Quercus virginiana) of southeastern North America often cultivated as a shelter and shade tree and noted for its extremely hard tough durable wood
b
: any of several oaks of the western U.S. with evergreen foliage and hard durable wood

Illustration of live oak

Illustration of live oak
  • live oak a

Examples of live oak in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The verdant expanse of the yard, with palm trees, octopus trees, live oaks, interrupted by the machinery of demolition. Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024 Oak wilt spreading through root systems moves an average of 75 feet per year, primarily in live oaks. Ryan Maxin, Austin American-Statesman, 11 Feb. 2024 There’s a photo in the book from Tallahassee, with the live oaks and the Spanish moss hanging onto them. Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024 On a grassy hillside nestled into a live oak woodland ecosystem in the San Francisco Bay Area, a group of elementary students armed with clipboards huddle around a cluster of native vegetation, sketching its craggy form and jotting down observations. Maya Chawla, Architectural Digest, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for live oak 

Word History

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of live oak was in 1610

Dictionary Entries Near live oak

Cite this Entry

“Live oak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20oak. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

live oak

noun
: any of several American oaks with evergreen leaves and hard durable wood
especially : one of the southeastern U.S. that is grown for its shelter and shade and formerly much used in building ships

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