laurel
noun
lau·rel
| \ ˈlȯr-əl
, ˈlär-\
, ˈlär-\
Definition of laurel
(Entry 1 of 3)
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
3a
: a crown of laurel awarded as an honor
b
: a recognition of achievement : honor
—usually used in plural
laurel
verb
laureled
or laurelled;
laureling
or laurelling
Definition of laurel (Entry 2 of 3)
: to deck or crown with laurel
Laurel
biographical name
Lau·rel
| \ ˈlȯr-əl
, ˈlär-\
, ˈlär-\
Definition of Laurel (Entry 3 of 3)
Stan 1890–1965 born Arthur Stanley Jefferson British comic actor in U.S.
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: Noun
And many people could have rested on their laurels after such a major achievement. — Quanta Magazine, "Ann Nelson Took On the Biggest Problems in Physics," 22 Aug. 2019 Perched on the western edge of the continent and closely tied to the flora and fauna of British Columbia, the city could easily rest on its restaurant laurels, charging high prices for fancy meals. — Fortune, "Vancouver Is a Haven for Cheap but Delicious Tasting Menus," 18 Aug. 2019 Among other laurels, Brand led Harvard to its first NCAA team championship and delivered 12 Ivy League titles, four by the women and eight by the men. — Michael Levenson, BostonGlobe.com, "Harvard fires fencing coach over Needham house sale," 9 July 2019 The Heims don't rest on laurels, realizing lots of new, youthful barbecue start-ups are becoming the norm in Fort Worth. — Dallas News, "Fort Worth's Heim Barbecue shares recipes for the perfect cookout side dishes," 1 July 2019 To find an open osmiza, by foot or car, search for one bearing a sign featuring a crown of laurel leaves (less poetically, there’s also a website). — Tara Isabella Burton, WSJ, "Undiscovered Italy: The Strange and Splendid Carso Region," 20 June 2019 Switzer said as Ruiz stood by, a laurel wreath on her head. — Richard Sandomir, New York Times, "Rosie Ruiz, Who Faked Victory in Boston Marathon, Dies at 66," 8 Aug. 2019 For 39 years, reporters never elicited an admission of cheating from the runner who, for a few moments in 1980, lifted her arms high in triumph, head crowned with a laurel wreath, victory medal draped around her neck. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, "As in life, apparent death of Rosie Ruiz shrouded in a bit of mystery," 7 Aug. 2019 On his head was both a laurel wreath and a golden crown held by a slave, who was also given the task of whispering into the general’s ear reminders of his mortality. — Andrea Frediani, National Geographic, "Julius Caesar came. He saw. He conquered. Here's how Rome celebrated.," 10 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'laurel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for laurel
laurel
noun
English Language Learners Definition of laurel
: an evergreen tree or bush with shiny pointed leaves
: honor or fame given for some achievement
See the full definition for laurel in the English Language Learners Dictionary
laurel
noun
lau·rel
| \ ˈlȯr-əl
\
\
Kids Definition of laurel
1
: a small evergreen European tree with shiny pointed leaves used in ancient times to crown victors (as in sports)
2
: a tree or shrub (as the American
mountain laurel
) that resembles the European laurel
3
: a crown of laurel used as a mark of honor
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