magnolia

noun mag·no·lia \ mag-ˈnōl-yə \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

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

In early spring, long before New York thaws and San Francisco’s fog lifts, the magnolias take over Durham, North Carolina, covering the town in a blanket of pink petals and soft smells.

— lisa dunn, GQ, "Durham: Where to Drink, Eat, Sleep, and Chill with Lemurs in the South's Best Second City," 7 Apr. 2018
Outside, the expansive private yard offers brick terraces, a petanque court, gorgeous landscaping, maple trees, magnolias, and more.

— lauren ro, Curbed, "1920s Dutch Colonial exudes plenty of charm, wants $699K," 2 Apr. 2018
But the magnolia is in full glory; half the rhododendrons are going nuts with color; the daffodils (three kinds) have been blooming for weeks; the leptospermum and the hellebores and the hyacinths are exploding in their stately fashion.

— jon carroll, San Francisco Chronicle, "Thoughts while plucking mummies, 1992," 28 Mar. 2018
And anyone who has stayed at the hotel will recognize the custom scent of the store's Jurassic Flower candle: The white flower, magnolia, apricot, and peach blend, created by French master perfumer Frédéric Malle, wafts through the hotel each day.

— mara balagtas, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Mark Hotel's Online Shop Will Help Turn Your Apartment Into a Hotel Room," 20 Mar. 2018
In a snowy Capitol Hill park, big branches, thick with pale pink magnolia blossoms and heavy with snow, had fallen from a tree in the park where Nikki Lowry was walking her dog Daisy.

— Washington Post, "The calendar says it’s spring but wintry weather says otherwise," 21 Mar. 2018
Saucer magnolias have grown large, and consequently, the lawn shrank.

— andrea f. siegel, baltimoresun.com, "A lush Ruxton garden that's always growing," 20 Mar. 2018
Teddy Bear magnolias and Texas mountain laurels might figure into a planting somehow.

— neil sperry, San Antonio Express-News, "Can’t keep a good holly shrub down — even when you want to," 9 Mar. 2018
Another relative is the pretty star magnolia, a shrub or small tree with frilly petals on its early blooms.

— nancy brachey, charlotteobserver, "Saucer magnolia an early, beautiful bloomer | Charlotte Observer," 5 Mar. 2018

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1739

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MAGNOLIA Defined for English Language Learners

magnolia

noun

Definition of magnolia for English Language Learners

: a tree or tall bush that has white, pink, yellow, or purple flowers

MAGNOLIA Defined for Kids

magnolia

noun mag·no·lia \ mag-ˈnōl-yə \

Definition 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

noun mag·no·lia \ mag-ˈnōl-yə \

medical 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

2 a : any shrub or tree of the genus Magnolia

b : the dried bark of a magnolia

Learn More about magnolia

Spanish Central: Translation of magnolia Nglish: Translation of magnolia for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about magnolia

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magnolia

Definition of magnolia

Recent Examples of magnolia from the Web

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Origin and Etymology of magnolia

MAGNOLIA Defined for English Language Learners

magnolia

Definition of magnolia for English Language Learners

MAGNOLIA Defined for Kids

magnolia

Definition of magnolia for Students

Medical Dictionary

magnolia

medical Definition of magnolia

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magnolia

Definition of magnolia for English Language Learners

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magnolia

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magnolia

medical Definition of magnolia

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