Illustration of magnolia
magnolia
noun
mag·no·lia
mag-ˈnōl-yə 
: any of a genus (Magnolia of the family Magnoliaceae, the magnolia family) of American and Asian shrubs and trees with entire evergreen or deciduous leaves and usually showy white, yellow, rose, or purple flowers usually appearing in early spring
Examples of magnolia in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Among the centuries-old magnolias and native wildlife, residents and guests have access to numerous amenities that include a deep-water marina, a spa, a sports barn and pool, a community farm, and a shooting preserve.
—
Mark David, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024
Like the student sniffing a magnolia, the artists are unabashedly ironic.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
The Southern magnolia tree's fruit attracts squirrels, rabbits, and various kinds of birds.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024
While shallow, surface-visible roots are naturally more common among some tree species (birch, maple, magnolia, and beech being typical examples), aerating the soil to improve drainage and alleviate compaction may keep the situation from worsening.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 25 Jan. 2024
All the spin-off offices are represented: magnolias from New Orleans, roses from L.A., golden wattles from Sydney, plumerias from Hawai'i, and cherry blossoms from the Far East office, where Knight’s (Katrina Law) father is stationed.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2024
With a composition of magnolia, sandalwood, and violet at its heart, alongside ambrette, cedarwood, and amber, this is a genderless, truly layerable aroma.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 7 Feb. 2024
This local nonprofit has welcomed floral-loving guests since the ‘60s, and visitors can expect to see collections of rhododendrons, heathers, camellia, begonias, magnolias, fuchsias, and even wild mushrooms, depending on the season.
—Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2024
The 356’s magnolia paint is pockmarked and patinated, while its oxblood-leather seat is creased and cracked with age.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2024
Mark David, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024
Like the student sniffing a magnolia, the artists are unabashedly ironic.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
The Southern magnolia tree's fruit attracts squirrels, rabbits, and various kinds of birds.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024
While shallow, surface-visible roots are naturally more common among some tree species (birch, maple, magnolia, and beech being typical examples), aerating the soil to improve drainage and alleviate compaction may keep the situation from worsening.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 25 Jan. 2024
All the spin-off offices are represented: magnolias from New Orleans, roses from L.A., golden wattles from Sydney, plumerias from Hawai'i, and cherry blossoms from the Far East office, where Knight’s (Katrina Law) father is stationed.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2024
With a composition of magnolia, sandalwood, and violet at its heart, alongside ambrette, cedarwood, and amber, this is a genderless, truly layerable aroma.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 7 Feb. 2024
This local nonprofit has welcomed floral-loving guests since the ‘60s, and visitors can expect to see collections of rhododendrons, heathers, camellia, begonias, magnolias, fuchsias, and even wild mushrooms, depending on the season.
—Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2024
The 356’s magnolia paint is pockmarked and patinated, while its oxblood-leather seat is creased and cracked with age.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'magnolia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to magnolia
Dictionary Entries Near magnolia
Cite this Entry
“Magnolia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnolia. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
magnolia
noun
mag·no·lia
mag-ˈnōl-yə
: any of a genus of North American and Asian trees or tall shrubs having usually showy white, yellow, rose, or purple flowers that appear before or sometimes with the leaves in the spring
Medical Definition
magnolia
noun
mag·no·lia
mag-ˈnōl-yə
1
capitalized
: a genus (family Magnoliaceae, the magnolia family) of North American and Asian shrubs and trees including some whose bark has been used especially as a bitter tonic and diaphoretic in folk medicine
2
a
: any shrub or tree of the genus Magnolia
b
: the dried bark of a magnolia
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share