- [uncountable, countable] a bush or tree with dark, smooth, shiny leaves that remain on the bush and stay green through the year
- a laurel hedge
- laurels[plural] honour and praise given to somebody because of something that they have achieved
- She won laurels for her first novel.
Word OriginMiddle English lorer, from Old French lorier, from Provençal laurier, from earlier laur, from Latin laurus.
Idioms
See laurel in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionarylook to your laurels
- to be careful that you do not lose the success or advantage that you have over other people
- With so many good new actors around the older ones are having to look to their laurels.
rest/sit on your laurels
- (usually disapproving) to feel so satisfied with what you have already achieved that you do not try to do any moreTopics Successc2
Check pronunciation:
laurel