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

Do not skip the ghindara no saikyo-yaki—a fillet of black cod marinated for 72 hours and cooked in sake, and wrapped in a Japanese magnolia leaf. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2026

For example, his hamachi crudo swaps traditional ginger for pickled local magnolia flowers, and replaces the standard raw-fish dressing with tisane, a grain tea with origins in Greece and China. —Sam Flemming, AJC.com, 27 May 2026

The magnolias blooming outside her Monaco apartment eventually gave the collection its title. —Stephan Rabimov, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026

The artist and designer’s decorative mirrors, screens, tables, lighting, seating and objects made with magnolias, bamboo and other flora will be featured alongside Maison Gerard’s curation of French Art Deco, 1940s French Modern era, and midcentury design. —Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 15 May 2026

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