manzanita

noun

man·​za·​ni·​ta ˌman-zə-ˈnē-tə How to pronounce manzanita (audio)
: any of various western North American evergreen shrubs (genus Arctostaphylos) of the heath family with alternate leaves

Examples of manzanita in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There’s even a small manzanita with its dainty fairy bell flowers and a fat bush poppy erupting with lemon-yellow blooms. Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2023 Preserved manzanita trees splay across the dining room. Jeastman, oregonlive, 17 Mar. 2023 Plantings and grasses are drought-tolerant, including Arctostaphylos ‘Louis Edmunds,’ a durable upright manzanita. oregonlive, 5 Sep. 2021 The 3-mile summit trail (6 miles roundtrip) is a fire road flanked by old oaks and manzanita that winds gradually up the slope, eventually opening into magnificent panoramic views of the lake and valley below. San Francisco Chronicle, 1 July 2021 This particular manzanita species was thought to be extinct outside of nurseries until 2009, when one was discovered growing in the Presidio of San Francisco and later moved to a secret location. San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Jan. 2017 Though optional, the wild manzanita berries that grow abundantly throughout California make a wonderful addition to this dish. New York Times, 7 Nov. 2019 The moisture content of manzanita and chemise, two plants scientists regularly measure to gauge fire risk across California, is about 20% higher now in the Bay Area than average, Clements said. Paul Rogers, chicagotribune.com, 26 Aug. 2019 The moisture content of manzanita and chemise, two plants scientists regularly measure to gauge fire risk across California, is about 20 percent higher now in the Bay Area than average, Clements said. Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'manzanita.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish, diminutive of Spanish manzana apple

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of manzanita was in 1846

Dictionary Entries Near manzanita

Cite this Entry

“Manzanita.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manzanita. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

manzanita

noun
man·​za·​ni·​ta ˌman-zə-ˈnēt-ə How to pronounce manzanita (audio)
: any of various evergreen shrubs of western North America that belong to the heath family

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