Illustration of laurel
- laurel 1
1
: an evergreen shrub or tree (Laurus nobilis of the family Lauraceae, the laurel family) of southern Europe with small yellow flowers, fruits that are ovoid blackish berries, and evergreen foliage once used by the ancient Greeks to crown victors in the Pythian games
called also bay, sweet bay
2
: a tree or shrub that resembles the true laurel
especially
: mountain laurel
3
a
: a crown of laurel awarded as an honor
b
: a recognition of achievement : honor
—usually used in plural
laureled or laurelled; laureling or laurelling
: to deck or crown with laurel
Examples of laurel in a Sentence
Noun
They enjoyed the laurels of their military victory.
The player earned his laurels from years of hard work.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
Both trails were lined with some of my favorite native vegetation, including mountain lilac, laurel sumac and sage.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025
The scents of wet earth, musty redwood, bay laurel, eucalyptus, ceanothus, and salty ocean air are alive in my imagination, which means that home is never too far away.
—Calin Van Paris, Outside Online, 20 Mar. 2025
The matching sheet set is available in complementary colors, including blue infinity, blue shale, white, cream, laurel green, cinder, gray mist, and stone gray.
—Terri Williams, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laurel
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Noun
In her right hand, the female figure holds laurel leaves, which Roman priestesses and priests once used to purify spaces.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
Both trails were lined with some of my favorite native vegetation, including mountain lilac, laurel sumac and sage.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025
The scents of wet earth, musty redwood, bay laurel, eucalyptus, ceanothus, and salty ocean air are alive in my imagination, which means that home is never too far away.
—Calin Van Paris, Outside Online, 20 Mar. 2025
The matching sheet set is available in complementary colors, including blue infinity, blue shale, white, cream, laurel green, cinder, gray mist, and stone gray.
—Terri Williams, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laurel
Cite this Entry
“Laurel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laurel. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationBiographical Definition
Laurel
biographical name
Lau·rel
ˈlȯr-əl 
ˈlär-
Stan 1890–1965 born Arthur Stanley Jefferson British comic actor in U.S.
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