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live oak

American  
[lahyv] / laɪv /

noun

  1. an evergreen oak, Quercus virginiana, of the southern U.S., having a short, broad trunk and shiny, oblong leaves: the state tree of Georgia.

  2. any of various related trees.

  3. the hard, durable wood of any of these trees.

live oak British  
/ laɪv /

noun

  1. a hard-wooded evergreen oak, Quercus virginianus, of S North America: used for shipbuilding

"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 live oak

An Americanism dating back to 1600–10

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.

While California live oak trees are protected in Altadena, others emblematic to the area are not.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 1, 2025

Green-roofed cabins housing hundreds of campers and staff dotted the area, which is lush with cypress and live oak trees.

From Salon • Jul. 7, 2025

And plein-air painters filled their canvases with the dramatic silhouettes of the California live oak.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2025

Krista Guerrero, an MWD resource specialist, said the agency would particularly love to see residents plant the coast live oak.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2024

I followed Burke to the big live oak beside the Good Night, Sleep Tight.

From "Louisiana's Way Home" by Kate DiCamillo

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.