magnolia

noun

mag·​no·​lia mag-ˈnōl-yə 

: 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

Illustration of magnolia

Examples of magnolia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Dress up magnolia leaves, pinecones, and nuts in gilded holiday finery. —Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2023

Here, colorful marbled apples and bright lemons are tucked amid cuttings of magnolia, pine, and leafy juniper sprigs. —Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2023

And while there are plenty of places to lay your head — from basic tent sites to a tree house in a magnolia canopy — the real draw of Coldwater Gardens is the gardens themselves. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2023

The set includes 60 pods and is offered fragrance-free, as well as in three scents: tangerine lemon grass, thyme fig leaf, and red pear with magnolia. —Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2023

Evergreen magnolia leaves add rich dark green tones. —Karen Hugg, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2023

Instead of booking the big-box hotel chain, choose one of these charming Southern bed-and-breakfasts nestled amongst magnolia trees and cobblestone roads, with friendly faces and amazing hospitality to welcome you. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2023

Ancestors of the ornamental orchid, magnolia and passionflower families, grass and potato families, the medicinal daisy family, and the herbal mint family all shared Earth with the dinosaurs. —Jamie Thompson, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2023

The light and fresh fragrance has notes of rose, peony, magnolia, and lychee that give the scent its signature floral, plus a warm base of cedarwood and amber. —Kristin Limoges, Harper's BAZAAR, 3 Aug. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Pierre Magnol †1715 French botanist

First Known Use

1739, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

magnolia

noun

mag·​no·​lia mag-ˈnōl-yə 

: any of a genus of North American and Asian trees or tall shrubs having usually showy white, yellow, rose, or purple flowers that appear before or sometimes with the leaves in the spring

Medical Definition

magnolia

noun

mag·​no·​lia mag-ˈnōl-yə 

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