Definition of magnolia
: any of a genus (Magnolia of the family Magnoliaceae, the magnolia family) of American and Asian shrubs and trees with entire evergreen or deciduous leaves and usually showy white, yellow, rose, or purple flowers usually appearing in early spring
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Recent Examples of magnolia from the Web
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The email picture forwarded showed normal leaf spots forming as the magnolia leaves begin to yellow and drop from the trees during the spring season.
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Enclosed in glass on three sides, like some giant terrarium, but open to the sky, the inaccessible landscape will sprout with ferns, horsetail and magnolia trees.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'magnolia'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Illustration of magnolia
Origin and Etymology of magnolia
New Latin, from Pierre Magnol †1715 French botanist
First Known Use: 1739
MAGNOLIA Defined for English Language Learners
magnolia
playDefinition of magnolia for English Language Learners
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: a tree or tall bush that has white, pink, yellow, or purple flowers
MAGNOLIA Defined for Kids
magnolia
playDefinition of magnolia for Students
: a tree or tall shrub having showy white, pink, yellow, or purple flowers that appear in early spring
Medical Dictionary
magnolia
playMedical Definition of magnolia
1 capitalized : a genus (family Magnoliaceae, the magnolia family) of North American and Asian shrubs and trees including some whose bark has been used especially as a bitter tonic and diaphoretic in folk medicine
2a: any shrub or tree of the genus Magnoliab: the dried bark of a magnolia
Learn More about magnolia
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Spanish Central: Translation of magnolia Nglish: Translation of magnolia for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about magnolia
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