live oak
Americannoun
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an evergreen oak, Quercus virginiana, of the southern U.S., having a short, broad trunk and shiny, oblong leaves: the state tree of Georgia.
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any of various related trees.
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the hard, durable wood of any of these trees.
noun
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.
Death cap mushrooms are known to sprout across the state of California but they thrive in shady, humid or moist environments under live oak and cultivated cork oak trees.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2026
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
Tree varieties include Eureka lemon, pink guava, Golden Delicious apple, coast live oak, olive, crape myrtle, California sycamore, desert willow and torrey pines.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2024
They parked in the shadows beneath a live oak directly in front of B barracks.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
