live oak

noun

ˈlīv- 

: 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

• live oak a

Examples of live oak in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Branches of most trees are relatively horizontal, live oaks being a classic example. —Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 June 2024

From the street, only the top floor and garage, framed by live oaks, are visible. —Christine Lennon, Sunset Magazine, 4 June 2024

Interior live oaks are the dominant tree on Sunny with a few bay trees and water-loving alders lakeside. —Jim Holden, The Mercury News, 29 May 2024

More than 700 live oak trees have been planted since construction began on the 400-acre property, and if any have to come down, two more are replanted to replace them. —Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 27 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

live oak

noun

ˈlī-ˌvōk 

: 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