From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmagnoliamag‧no‧li‧a /mæɡˈnəʊliə $ -ˈnoʊ-/ noun 1 [countable]HBP a tree with large white, pink, yellow, or purple flowers2 [uncountable]CC a very pale cream colour —magnolia adjective
Examples from the Corpus
magnolia• It is rare at Lanhydrock for there not to be a magnolia in flower.• He had never owned a magnolia before nor a view.• Q: How do we induce magnolia and dogwood trees to bloom?• The small magnolia, likewise flowers with me finely.• The woodwork is in Crown Solo magnolia gloss at £6.49 per litre.• Leaf drop is normal on Southern magnolias.• When they thinned out he headed for the cherry blossoms, then magnolia, chinaberry, pecan, walnut and prickly pear.Origin magnolia (1700-1800) Pierre Magnol (1638-1715), French plant-scientist 