poet's laurel

Variant of laurel

laurel definition

lau·rel (lôr′əl)

noun

  1. any of a genus (Laurus) of evergreen trees or shrubs of the laurel family, native to S Europe and widely cultivated in the U.S., with large, glossy, aromatic leaves, greenish-yellow flowers, and black berries; specif., the poet's laurel (L. nobilis)
  2. the foliage of this tree, esp. as woven into wreaths such as those used by the ancient Greeks to crown the victors in various contests
    1. fame; honor
    2. victory
  4. any of various trees and shrubs resembling the true laurel, as the mountain laurel, cherry laurel, or California laurel

Etymology: ME laurer, lorel < OFr lorier < L laurus

adjective

designating a family (Lauraceae, order Laurales) of dicotyledonous shrubs and trees, including the sassafras, cinnamon, and camphor

transitive verb laureled -·reled or laurelled -·relled, laureling -·rel·ing or laurelling -·rel·ling

  1. to crown with laurel
  2. to honor
laurel Idioms

look to one's laurels

to beware of having one's achievements surpassed

rest on one's laurels

to be satisfied with what one has already achieved

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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