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
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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
The city says a total of 30 new trees will be planted, including four live oaks and a couple of dozen eucalyptus, all to be planted on lower Forest Avenue.
—Michele Gile, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Get tickets to Airlie Gardens in advance to see over 75,000 azaleas and a live oak dating back to the 16th century.
—Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2026
Shirley was buried in a segregated graveyard under live oaks, on a bayou.
—Jesmyn Ward, Vanity Fair, 21 Apr. 2026
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Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
The city says a total of 30 new trees will be planted, including four live oaks and a couple of dozen eucalyptus, all to be planted on lower Forest Avenue.
—Michele Gile, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Get tickets to Airlie Gardens in advance to see over 75,000 azaleas and a live oak dating back to the 16th century.
—Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2026
Shirley was buried in a segregated graveyard under live oaks, on a bayou.
—Jesmyn Ward, Vanity Fair, 21 Apr. 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 16 May. 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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