sequoia

noun se·quoia \ si-ˈkwȯi-ə \

Updated on: 13 Apr 2018

Definition of sequoia

: either of two huge coniferous California trees of the bald cypress family that may reach a height of over 300 feet (90 meters):

a : giant sequoia

b : redwood 3a

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Recent Examples of sequoia from the Web

There is a wooded area with a pond, and the property has mature sequoia, Lebanon cedar and redwood trees, Mr. Hoyle said.

— alison gregor, New York Times, "House Hunting in … Wales," 4 Apr. 2018
In 2014, after two years of drought, many sequoias began losing their needles.

— zach st. george, Smithsonian, "How California’s Giant Sequoias Tell the Story of Americans’ Conflicted Relationship With Nature," 20 Mar. 2018
Growers heaping fertilizer at the foot of a centuries-old sequoia tree, needlessly endangering it.

— Washington Post, "Legal pot in California brings host of environmental rules," 22 Dec. 2017
Leslie loves shades of green, so Kat included plenty of feather reed grass; laced the old fence with trumpet vines; and planted a big-leafed, spreading fatsia in the shade beneath the sequoia.

— valerie easton, The Seattle Times, "Landscapers are Kings of the hill on Queen Anne," 16 Aug. 2017
Through all of Butler’s basketball's coaching changes, Tyler Wideman has stood as tall and immovable as a sequoia.

— david woods, Indianapolis Star, "Butler basketball's backbone: Tyler Wideman has always come up big," 5 Nov. 2017
The review included sweeping sites mostly in the West that are home to ancient cliff dwellings, towering sequoia trees, deep canyons or ocean habitats roamed by seals, whales and sea turtles.

— Washington Post, "Senator says Trump rolling back protections at Utah sites," 28 Oct. 2017
Many Western landscapes, including Muir’s beloved sequoia groves, are adapted to wildfires.

— madeline ostrander, Smithsonian, "The National Parks Face a Looming Existential Crisis," 14 Sep. 2017
The review raised alarm among conservationists who said protections could be lost for areas that are home to ancient cliff dwellings, towering sequoia trees, deep canyons and ocean habitats.

— time, Time, "Interior Secretary Recommends Shrinking 6 National Monuments," 18 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sequoia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of sequoia

New Latin, genus name, from Sequoya (George Guess)

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1866

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SEQUOIA Defined for English Language Learners

sequoia

noun

Definition of sequoia for English Language Learners

: a very tall evergreen tree that grows in California

SEQUOIA Defined for Kids

sequoia

noun se·quoia \ si-ˈkwȯi-ə \

Definition of sequoia for Students

1 : giant sequoia

2 : redwood

Learn More about sequoia

See words that rhyme with sequoia Spanish Central: Translation of sequoia Nglish: Translation of sequoia for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sequoia

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sequoia

Definition of sequoia

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SEQUOIA Defined for English Language Learners

sequoia

Definition of sequoia for English Language Learners

SEQUOIA Defined for Kids

sequoia

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