magnolia

noun

mag·​no·​lia mag-ˈnōl-yə 

: any of a genus (Magnolia of the family Magnoliaceae, the magnolia family) of American and Asian shrubs and trees with entire evergreen or deciduous leaves and usually showy white, yellow, rose, or purple flowers usually appearing in early spring

Illustration of magnolia

Examples of magnolia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Citruses like orange, gourmands like vanilla, and green florals like magnolia and lily of the valley can go strong for up to 30 hours, in some cases increasing the concentration of the fragrance ingredient by 300%. —Megan McIntyre, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025

Seasonal planters flank the door and a large festive wreath made from magnolia leaves and persimmons completes the look and adds the final touch to this beautiful front entry. —Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Sep. 2025

Bright, light yellow; excellent mousse; aromas of lemon twist, melon, apple peel and magnolia. —Tom Hyland, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025

Bare-root plants such as fruit trees, and broadleaf evergreen trees like hollies and Southern magnolia perform best when planted in spring. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Pierre Magnol †1715 French botanist

First Known Use

1739, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

magnolia

noun

mag·​no·​lia mag-ˈnōl-yə 

: any of a genus of North American and Asian trees or tall shrubs having usually showy white, yellow, rose, or purple flowers that appear before or sometimes with the leaves in the spring

Medical Definition

magnolia

noun

mag·​no·​lia mag-ˈnōl-yə 

1

capitalized : a genus (family Magnoliaceae, the magnolia family) of North American and Asian shrubs and trees including some whose bark has been used especially as a bitter tonic and diaphoretic in folk medicine

2

a

: any shrub or tree of the genus Magnolia

b

: the dried bark of a magnolia