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.
In the Golden State, the beetles are attacking the coast live oak, canyon live oak and the California black oak.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 10, 2026
Julie Clark, a community education specialist for UCANR, recalled getting a call from a local forester who spotted an unhealthy-looking coast live oak while driving in Simi Hills’ Box Canyon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 10, 2026
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
Nearby Antonovich Trail, a popular trek for locals, meanders along a babbling Walnut Creek, shaded by fig, coast live oak and eucalyptus trees.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2024
Outside the window, I could see a crow sitting in the crook of a live oak.
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.
