manzanita

noun

man·​za·​ni·​ta ˌman-zə-ˈnē-tə How to pronounce manzanita (audio)
: any of various western North American evergreen shrubs (genus Arctostaphylos) of the heath family with alternate leaves

Examples of manzanita in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For example, kangaroo rats keep manzanita seeds in their cheeks and bury them, allowing the plants to germinate and grow. Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 25 June 2025 Some plants, however, including certain manzanitas (Arctostaphylos spp.), coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), and toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) will often resprout from their crowns (where trunk meets roots) after a fire. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 8 Feb. 2025 High-end homes — median values in the ZIP code were over $3.4 million last year, according to data provided by Zillow — are nestled into an ecosystem with fire-prone chaparral plants like manzanita, scrub oak and chamise, which is sometimes called greasewood. Evan Bush, NBC News, 10 Jan. 2025 For instance, Odell loved the manzanitas that grow prolifically around his family’s 40-acre ranch in Shasta County. Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for manzanita

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish, diminutive of Spanish manzana apple

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of manzanita was in 1846

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Manzanita.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manzanita. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

manzanita

noun
man·​za·​ni·​ta ˌman-zə-ˈnēt-ə How to pronounce manzanita (audio)
: any of various evergreen shrubs of western North America that belong to the heath family

More from Merriam-Webster on manzanita

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!