live oak

noun

ˈlīv- 

: 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

Illustration of live oak

• live oak a

Examples of live oak in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cholokka Boulevard, lined with 19th-century brick buildings and massive live oaks, anchors the town with antique shops, art galleries, and cozy cafés. —Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2026

Neon parrakeets flocked over live oaks draped in Spanish moss. —Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026

Its landscape consists of marsh, ancient live oak maritime forest, and, of course, beaches. —Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026

On the University of Texas campus, with its multitude of mature live oaks. —Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for live oak

• artichoke
• nanticoke
• womenfolk
• awoke
• baroque
• bespoke
• colloque
• convoke
• evoke
• invoke
• keystroke
• kinfolk

Kids Definition

live oak

noun

ˈlī-ˌvōk 

: 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