magnolia

[ mag-nohl-yuh, -noh-lee-uh ]

/ mægˈnoʊl yə, -ˈnoʊ li ə /

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noun

any shrub or tree of the genus Magnolia, having large, usually fragrant flowers and an aromatic bark, much cultivated for ornament.Compare magnolia family.

the blossom of any such shrub or tree, as of the evergreen magnolia tree: the state flower of Louisiana and Mississippi.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of magnolia

<New Latin (Linnaeus), after Pierre Magnol (1638–1715), French botanist; see -ia

Words nearby magnolia

magnifying glass, magniloquent, magnisonant, Magnitogorsk, magnitude, magnolia, magnoliaceous, magnolia family, magnolia metal, Magnolia State, magnolia warbler

Other definitions for magnolia (2 of 2)

Magnolia

[ mag-nohl-yuh, -noh-lee-uh ]

/ mægˈnoʊl yə, -ˈnoʊ li ə /

noun

a city in SW Arkansas.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use magnolia in a sentence

The need to change narratives through research and evidence was also apparent to Nyandoro, of Magnolia Mother’s Trust.
Covid killed UBI; Long live guaranteed income|Eileen Guo|May 7, 2021|MIT Technology Review
Now, it’s true, the magnolias were whispering yes, you mustbelieve.
Recalling a pandemic year with poetry and machine learning art|Seth Blanchard, Shikha Subramaniam, Leo Dominguez|April 22, 2021|Washington Post
Sure enough, in the morning while sending the kids off to school and walking the dog, I found dozens of magnolias on the sidewalk and in the grass, many shut tight and still half in their furry gray pods.
For parents, spring brings so much more this year — renewal, beauty and, yes, anxiety|Maggie Smith|April 2, 2021|Washington Post
I’m feeling an odd mix of near-giddiness and trepidation about the months to come, much like those magnolias, which could bloom at any moment, be blown down or freeze.
For parents, spring brings so much more this year — renewal, beauty and, yes, anxiety|Maggie Smith|April 2, 2021|Washington Post

Magnolia Elementary was one of several schools in the Cajon Valley Union School District to offer child care for families during the summer.
22 Photos That Tell the Story of 2020|Adriana Heldiz|December 29, 2020|Voice of San Diego
The trial was livestreamed on the Internet and the controversy was “front page news every day” in the Magnolia State.
Could Chris McDaniel Get A Do-Over In The Mississippi Senate Race?|Ben Jacobs|July 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Magnolia Bakery, Georgetown Cupcake, and Sprinkles were all gaining scale.
The Cupcake Boom’s Sugar High Finally Crashes|Daniel Gross|July 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In Magnolia (1999)—“a smorgasbord of pleasure, that movie”—he played opposite Tom Cruise as a nurse.
Philip Seymour Hoffman: An Actor First|Tim Teeman|February 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Distributed by Magnolia Pictures in September 2010, the quasi-documentary grossed a pathetic $400,000 at the domestic box office.
The Return of Joaquin Phoenix: Oscar Buzz for ‘The Master’|Chris Lee|September 17, 2012|DAILY BEAST
After the film ended, we headed to a nearby Magnolia Bakery for an intellectual conversation.
Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D, Reviewed by Teenagers|Ramin Setoodeh|July 5, 2012|DAILY BEAST
She left a note for him, saying she did not get on well with Magnolia, and was going to stay a little while with Mrs. Dickson.
Johnny Ludlow, Fourth Series|Mrs. Henry Wood
Whilst staying with Mrs. Dickson before sailing, a letter was forwarded to her from Magnolia Grange.
Johnny Ludlow, Fourth Series|Mrs. Henry Wood
So Morgan went off to his hoeing, and I stopped under the shade of the big magnolia to keep my long watch.
Mass' George|George Manville Fenn
That big house at the corner of Magnolia Road had been a daring bid for fortune.
Mary Gray|Katharine Tynan
She raged up and down the room, swearing in Spanish, tears tracing red stains on her magnolia complexion.
The Second Latchkey|Charles Norris Williamson and Alice Muriel Williamson

British Dictionary definitions for magnolia

magnolia

/ (mæɡˈnəʊlɪə) /

noun

any tree or shrub of the magnoliaceous genus Magnolia of Asia and North America: cultivated for their white, pink, purple, or yellow showy flowers

the flower of any of these plants

a very pale pinkish-white or purplish-white colour

Word Origin for magnolia

C18: New Latin, named after Pierre Magnol (1638–1715), French botanist

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