Illustration of live oak
- live oak a
: any of several American evergreen oaks: such as
a
: a medium-sized oak (Quercus virginiana) of southeastern North America often cultivated as a shelter and shade tree and noted for its extremely hard tough durable wood
b
: any of several oaks of the western U.S. with evergreen foliage and hard durable wood
Examples of live oak in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bolton opposes the developer’s plan to move the live oak, arguing that moving the tree could kill it.
—
Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
Continue in the southerly direction, appreciating the gnarled coast live oaks and sound of shy red-eared sliders plopping off their logs into the water.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
From sunset yoga and a world-class spa to leisurely strolls under the live oaks and days spent by the pool, activities at the 20,000-acre resort are numerous—and relaxing.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2026
Camping is available on the Camp Ben McCulloch grounds beneath live oaks and along Onion Creek.
—Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
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Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
Continue in the southerly direction, appreciating the gnarled coast live oaks and sound of shy red-eared sliders plopping off their logs into the water.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
From sunset yoga and a world-class spa to leisurely strolls under the live oaks and days spent by the pool, activities at the 20,000-acre resort are numerous—and relaxing.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2026
Camping is available on the Camp Ben McCulloch grounds beneath live oaks and along Onion Creek.
—Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for live oak
Cite this Entry
“Live oak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/live%20oak. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
live oak
noun
: any of several American oaks with evergreen leaves and hard durable wood
especially
: one of the southeastern U.S. that is grown for its shelter and shade and formerly much used in building ships
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