Joshua tree

American

noun

an evergreen tree, Yucca brevifolia, growing in arid or desert regions of the southwestern U.S., having long, twisted branches.

Joshua tree British

noun

a treelike desert yucca plant, Yucca brevifolia, of the southwestern US, with sword-shaped leaves and greenish-white flowers

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Joshua tree

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Cummings of the Center for Biological Diversity, which petitioned to list the Joshua tree under the California Endangered Species Act, said a hands-off approach generally would not bode well for the iconic trees.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025

The area, not far from Black Rock Campground, is one of the park’s densest Joshua tree woodlands.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025

The water district has conducted a Joshua tree census and paid a security, Ellsworth said.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2025

Homeowners initially faced steep Joshua tree mitigation fees for performing the work needed to connect to the new sewer lines.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2025

While we were in Midland, Mom painted dozens of variations and studies of the Joshua tree.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023