Illustration of live oak
- live oak a
: any of several American evergreen oaks: such as
a
: a medium-sized oak (Quercus virginiana) of southeastern North America often cultivated as a shelter and shade tree and noted for its extremely hard tough durable wood
b
: any of several oaks of the western U.S. with evergreen foliage and hard durable wood
Examples of live oak in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This southern town oozes mysterious charm with its hundreds-years-old live oak trees and their dripping Spanish moss.
—
Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2025
Where to stay: The Roost Book now: The Roost
This boutique hotel in downtown Ocean Springs is housed in an upcycled historic building and surrounded by live oaks.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 6 Mar. 2025
And plein-air painters filled their canvases with the dramatic silhouettes of the California live oak.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025
Of course, the setting deviates from the dark, moody woods one associates with the Brothers Grimm—instead of the Black Forest, this enchanted cabin is surrounded by palm trees and California live oaks, basking in the sunshine.
—Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for live oak
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Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2025
Where to stay: The Roost Book now: The Roost
This boutique hotel in downtown Ocean Springs is housed in an upcycled historic building and surrounded by live oaks.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 6 Mar. 2025
And plein-air painters filled their canvases with the dramatic silhouettes of the California live oak.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025
Of course, the setting deviates from the dark, moody woods one associates with the Brothers Grimm—instead of the Black Forest, this enchanted cabin is surrounded by palm trees and California live oaks, basking in the sunshine.
—Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for live oak
Cite this Entry
“Live oak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20oak. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
live oak
noun
: any of several American oaks with evergreen leaves and hard durable wood
especially
: one of the southeastern U.S. that is grown for its shelter and shade and formerly much used in building ships
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