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
The southern live oak, which has a trunk as thick as 8 feet, is part of a rare cohort of trees which have survived centuries of extreme weather, pests, diseases, human interactions and other life threatening phenomena.
—
Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Explore Fripp Island 17 of 20 Texas: Galveston Strung along a narrow barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico, Galveston is a beautiful blend of graceful Victorian and early 20th-century mansions, bungalows, cottages, and a stunning historic downtown lined with tall palm trees and live oaks.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2024
The trail then connects with the Green Valley Truck Trail, a flat and wide path that offers shade from coast live oak in several sections.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2023
Framed by 30-foot bluffs along the shore, it's littered with driftwood from live oak and cedar trees.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024
Species like the coastal live oak in West Hills and the Moreton Bay fig in Palms tell the story of Los Angeles and what the land was like even before the city was here.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2024
The live oak has nourished and protected the continent’s inhabitants for many centuries.
—Shannon Sims, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2023
Krista Guerrero, an MWD resource specialist, said the agency would particularly love to see residents plant the coast live oak.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
The mound’s slope is gradual and grassy, its summit shadowed by mature live oaks.
—Kiley Bense, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Explore Fripp Island 17 of 20 Texas: Galveston Strung along a narrow barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico, Galveston is a beautiful blend of graceful Victorian and early 20th-century mansions, bungalows, cottages, and a stunning historic downtown lined with tall palm trees and live oaks.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2024
The trail then connects with the Green Valley Truck Trail, a flat and wide path that offers shade from coast live oak in several sections.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2023
Framed by 30-foot bluffs along the shore, it's littered with driftwood from live oak and cedar trees.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024
Species like the coastal live oak in West Hills and the Moreton Bay fig in Palms tell the story of Los Angeles and what the land was like even before the city was here.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2024
The live oak has nourished and protected the continent’s inhabitants for many centuries.
—Shannon Sims, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2023
Krista Guerrero, an MWD resource specialist, said the agency would particularly love to see residents plant the coast live oak.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
The mound’s slope is gradual and grassy, its summit shadowed by mature live oaks.
—Kiley Bense, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'live oak.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Live oak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20oak. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
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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