Illustration of live oak
- live oak a
: 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
Examples of live oak in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Levee Porch will offer a shaded porch and walk-up bar with steps leading down to a beer garden beneath live oak trees near the river.
—
Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 June 2026
Some selections still standing after a major storm within the 20- to 35-foot range include crape myrtles, hollies, redbud, sand live oaks, tree ligustrums and winged elms.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2026
Last month, the first nursery launched at EF with 30 trees — coast live oaks and sycamores.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
Just an hour outside of Charleston, South Carolina, and nestled along the Atlantic Coast, Kiawah Island sports all the telltale signs of the Lowcountry—Spanish moss swaying from live oak branches, heavy humidity hanging in the air, and winding estuaries abounding at every corner.
—Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
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Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 June 2026
Some selections still standing after a major storm within the 20- to 35-foot range include crape myrtles, hollies, redbud, sand live oaks, tree ligustrums and winged elms.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2026
Last month, the first nursery launched at EF with 30 trees — coast live oaks and sycamores.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
Just an hour outside of Charleston, South Carolina, and nestled along the Atlantic Coast, Kiawah Island sports all the telltale signs of the Lowcountry—Spanish moss swaying from live oak branches, heavy humidity hanging in the air, and winding estuaries abounding at every corner.
—Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for live oak
Cite this Entry
“Live oak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20oak. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
live oak
noun
: 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
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