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

Shirley was buried in a segregated graveyard under live oaks, on a bayou. —Jesmyn Ward, Vanity Fair, 21 Apr. 2026

For an Instagram-worthy photo op, live oak trees create a picturesque canopy over South Boundary Avenue. —Elliott Harrell, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2026

Options like live oak, swamp white oak, and bald cypress resist pests and adapt to various soil and weather conditions. —Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 18 Apr. 2026

Wilmington’s scenic Riverwalk and majestic live oaks rival those of Savannah. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 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