magnolia Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun dried bark of various magnolias; used in folk medicine
  2. noun any shrub or tree of the genus Magnolia; valued for their longevity and exquisite fragrant blooms

WordNet

Mag*no"li*a noun
Etymology
NL. Named after Pierre Magnol, professor of botany at Montpellier, France, in the 17th century.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A genus of American and Asiatic trees, with aromatic bark and large sweet-scented whitish or reddish flowers. ✍ Magnolia grandiflora has coriaceous shining leaves and very fragrant blossoms. It is common from North Carolina to Florida and Texas, and is one of the most magnificent trees of the American forest. The sweet bay (M. glauca)is a small tree found sparingly as far north as Cape Ann. Other American species are M. Umbrella, M. macrophylla, M. Fraseri, M. acuminata, and M. cordata. M. conspicua and M. purpurea are cultivated shrubs or trees from Eastern Asia. M. Campbellii, of India, has rose-colored or crimson flowers.

Webster 1913