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

Encased in a sophisticated bottle that calls to mind Tommy Hilfiger fashion, this new scent features a juicy top note of sparkling lychee before settling into a warmer depth of magnolia blossom and a base of vanilla blue. — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026

Melting Flowers combines nectarine, jasmine, gardenia and musks; Musc Pétille blends ambrette, peach nectar, magnolia and sandalwood, while Lubanite mixes marine, smoky and resinous notes including olibanum and ambergris. — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026

The property is special, dotted with beautiful, dark wood barns, fruit trees, magnolia trees and maples. — Ashley Woo, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026

Powered by Uniflavon—a proprietary blend of botanical extracts that have anti-irritation properties—the formula also contains magnolia to calm visible signs of irritation. — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026

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