laurel

noun

lau·rel | \ ˈlȯr-əl

, ˈlär-\

Definition of laurel

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : an evergreen shrub or tree (Laurus nobilis of the family Lauraceae, the laurel family) of southern Europe with small yellow flowers, fruits that are ovoid blackish berries, and evergreen foliage once used by the ancient Greeks to crown victors in the Pythian games

— called also bay, sweet bay

2 : a tree or shrub that resembles the true laurel especially : mountain laurel

3a : a crown of laurel awarded as an honor

b : a recognition of achievement : honor —usually used in plural

laurel

verb

laureled or laurelled; laureling or laurelling

Definition of laurel (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

: to deck or crown with laurel

Laurel

biographical name

Lau·rel | \ ˈlȯr-əl

, ˈlär-\

Definition of Laurel (Entry 3 of 3)

Stan 1890–1965 born Arthur Stanley Jefferson British comic actor in U.S.

Examples of laurel in a Sentence

Noun

They enjoyed the laurels of their military victory. The player earned his laurels from years of hard work.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The rest of the Cavaliers, in kind, hibernated on their laurels. — Jake Fischer, SI.com, "How David Griffin Rebuilt the Pelicans and His World," 1 Aug. 2019 Steve Aoki Played More Shows Than Any Other DJ Aoki, for his part, is not resting on his laurels. — Kat Bein, Billboard, "Chainsmokers Dethrone Calvin Harris & 7 Other Surprises From Forbes' Richest DJs List 2019," 29 July 2019 Trustbusters on the other side of the Atlantic—who have already fined Google more than €8.2bn ($9.3bn) in recent years—are not resting on their laurels. — The Economist, "The regulatory woes of Big Tech multiply," 25 July 2019 Not one to rest on her laurels, Lois Lowry never ceases to surprise. — David Canfield, EW.com, "Exclusive: The Giver author Lois Lowry is going back in time for next book," 24 July 2019 The Kremlin’s resting on its laurels after winning the race into Earth’s orbit with Sputnik and Gagarin certainly played a role. — Anatoly Zak, Popular Mechanics, "Why Didn't the Soviets Ever Make It to the Moon?," 22 July 2019 What was once a plain blue wall is now a large painting of Hussle gazing up at the clouds, Greek laurels and blue roses on either side of him. — Dorany Pineda, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Across L.A., murals are a testament to Nipsey Hussle’s legacy," 14 July 2019 What was once a plain blue wall is now a large painting of Hussle gazing up at the clouds, Greek laurels and blue roses on either side of him. — Dorany Pineda, latimes.com, "Across L.A., murals are a testament to Nipsey Hussle’s legacy," 14 July 2019 Against the wall near the burbling koi pond, a laurel hedge stands in for the nonexistent lawn. — Catherine Romano, WSJ, "A Yard With No Lawn But Plenty of Greenery," 12 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'laurel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.