laurel

/ˈlɔrəl/

/ˈlɒrəl/

Other forms: laurels

A laurel is a wreath worn on the head, usually as a symbol of victory. If you see an image of Julius Caesar, chances are he's wearing a laurel.

A laurel is a type of wreath — circular, made from leaves and branches — worn on the head in ancient times. The laurel is a symbol of victory that lives on in the phrase "Resting on one's laurels." When you rest on your laurels, you're happy with previous successes but not doing much to continue succeeding. You've gotten lazy and complacent.

Definitions of laurel

1. noun

   any of various aromatic trees of the laurel family
   types:

   Laurus nobilis, bay, bay laurel, bay tree, true laurel

   small Mediterranean evergreen tree with small blackish berries and glossy aromatic leaves used for flavoring in cooking; also used by ancient Greeks to crown victors

   Cinnamomum camphora, camphor tree

   large evergreen tree of warm regions whose aromatic wood yields camphor

   Ceylon cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon tree, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, cinnamon

   tropical Asian tree with aromatic yellowish-brown bark; source of the spice cinnamon

   Cinnamomum cassia, cassia, cassia-bark tree

   Chinese tree with aromatic bark; yields a less desirable cinnamon than Ceylon cinnamon

   Cinnamomum loureirii, Saigon cinnamon

   tropical southeast Asian tree with aromatic bark; yields a bark used medicinally

   Persea borbonia, laurel-tree, red bay

   small tree of southern United States having dark red heartwood

   Sassafras albidum, sassafras, sassafras tree

   yellowwood tree with brittle wood and aromatic leaves and bark; source of sassafras oil; widely distributed in eastern North America

   California bay tree, California laurel, California olive, Oregon myrtle, Umbellularia californica, mountain laurel, pepperwood, sassafras laurel, spice tree

   Pacific coast tree having aromatic foliage and small umbellate flowers followed by olivelike fruit; yields a hard tough wood

   type of:

   angiospermous tree, flowering tree

   any tree having seeds and ovules contained in the ovary
2. noun

   (antiquity) a wreath of laurel foliage worn on the head as an emblem of victory
   synonyms: bay wreath, laurel wreath

   type of:

   chaplet, coronal, garland, lei, wreath

   flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes