n. [ NL. Named after Pierre Magnol, professor of botany at Montpellier, France, in the 17th century. ] (Bot.) A genus of American and Asiatic trees, with aromatic bark and large sweet-scented whitish or reddish flowers. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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 (Magnolia glauca)is a small tree found sparingly as far north as Cape Ann. Other American species are Magnolia Umbrella, Magnolia macrophylla, Magnolia Fraseri, Magnolia acuminata, and Magnolia cordata. Magnolia conspicua and Magnolia purpurea are cultivated shrubs or trees from Eastern Asia. Magnolia Campbellii, of India, has rose-colored or crimson flowers. [ 1913 Webster ]

Magnolia warbler (Zool.), a beautiful North American wood warbler (Dendroica maculosa). The rump and under parts are bright yellow; the breast and belly are spotted with black; the under tail coverts are white; the crown is ash. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A natural family of plants, a subclass of the Magnoliidae; it includes the genera Liriodendron; Magnolia; Manglietia; and Michelia.
Syn. -- family Magnoliaceae, magnolia family. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. (Bot.) Pertaining to a natural order (Magnoliaceae) of trees of which the magnolia, the tulip tree, and the star anise are examples. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. The state of Mississippi; -- a nickname. [ WordNet 1.5 ]