[syn: laurel, laurel wreath, bay wreath]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Laurel \Lau"rel\, n. [OE. lorel, laurer, lorer, OF. lorier,
laurier, F. laurier, (assumed) LL. Laurarius, fr. L. laurus.]
1. (Bot.) An evergreen shrub, of the genus Laurus (Laurus
nobilis), having aromatic leaves of a lanceolate shape,
with clusters of small, yellowish white flowers in their
axils; -- called also sweet bay.
Note: The fruit is a purple berry. It is found about the
Mediterranean, and was early used by the ancient Greeks
to crown the victor in the games of Apollo. At a later
period, academic honors were indicated by a crown of
laurel, with the fruit. The leaves and tree yield an
aromatic oil, used to flavor the bay water of commerce.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The name is extended to other plants which in some
respect resemble the true laurel. See Phrases, below.
[1913 Webster]
2. A crown of laurel; hence, honor; distinction; fame; --
especially in the plural; as, to win laurels.
[1913 Webster]
3. An English gold coin made in 1619, and so called because
the king's head on it was crowned with laurel.
[1913 Webster]
Laurel water, water distilled from the fresh leaves of the
cherry laurel, and containing prussic acid and other
products carried over in the process.
[1913 Webster]
American laurel, or Mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia;
called also calico bush. See under Mountain.
California laurel, Umbellularia Californica.
Cherry laurel (in England called laurel). See under
Cherry.
Great laurel, the rosebay (Rhododendron maximum).
Ground laurel, trailing arbutus.
New Zealand laurel, the Laurelia Nov[ae] Zelandi[ae].
Portugal laurel, the Prunus Lusitanica.
Rose laurel, the oleander. See Oleander.
Sheep laurel, a poisonous shrub, Kalmia angustifolia,
smaller than the mountain laurel, and with smaller and
redder flowers.
Spurge laurel, Daphne Laureola.
West Indian laurel, Prunus occidentalis.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
laurel
n 1: any of various aromatic trees of the laurel family
2: United States slapstick comedian (born in England) who played
the scatterbrained and often tearful member of the Laurel and
Hardy duo who made many films (1890-1965) [syn: Laurel,
Stan Laurel, Arthur Stanley Jefferson Laurel]
3: (antiquity) a wreath of laurel foliage worn on the head as an
emblem of victory [syn: laurel, laurel wreath, bay
wreath]
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):
LAUREATE, adj. Crowned with leaves of the laurel. In England the
Poet Laureate is an officer of the sovereign's court, acting as
dancing skeleton at every royal feast and singing-mute at every royal
funeral. Of all incumbents of that high office, Robert Southey had
the most notable knack at drugging the Samson of public joy and
cutting his hair to the quick; and he had an artistic color-sense
which enabled him so to blacken a public grief as to give it the
aspect of a national crime.
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):
LAUREL, n. The _laurus_, a vegetable dedicated to Apollo, and
formerly defoliated to wreathe the brows of victors and such poets as
had influence at court. (_Vide supra._)
U.S. Gazetteer Counties (2000):
Laurel -- U.S. County in Kentucky
Population (2000): 52715
Housing Units (2000): 22317
Land area (2000): 435.669543 sq. miles (1128.378888 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 8.071303 sq. miles (20.904577 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 443.740846 sq. miles (1149.283465 sq. km)
Located within: Kentucky (KY), FIPS 21
Location: 37.106679 N, 84.083545 W
Headwords:
Laurel
Laurel, KY
Laurel County
Laurel County, KY
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Laurel, MT -- U.S. city in Montana
Population (2000): 6255
Housing Units (2000): 2647
Land area (2000): 1.884862 sq. miles (4.881769 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 1.884862 sq. miles (4.881769 sq. km)
FIPS code: 42700
Located within: Montana (MT), FIPS 30
Location: 45.673986 N, 108.770893 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 59044
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Laurel, MT
Laurel
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Laurel, NE -- U.S. city in Nebraska
Population (2000): 986
Housing Units (2000): 466
Land area (2000): 0.919336 sq. miles (2.381069 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.919336 sq. miles (2.381069 sq. km)
FIPS code: 26350
Located within: Nebraska (NE), FIPS 31
Location: 42.427966 N, 97.093053 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 68745
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Laurel, NE
Laurel
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Laurel, NY -- U.S. Census Designated Place in New York
Population (2000): 1188
Housing Units (2000): 686
Land area (2000): 3.349193 sq. miles (8.674370 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.077970 sq. miles (0.201942 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 3.427163 sq. miles (8.876312 sq. km)
FIPS code: 41465
Located within: New York (NY), FIPS 36
Location: 40.976340 N, 72.549589 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 11948
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Laurel, NY
Laurel
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Laurel, DE -- U.S. town in Delaware
Population (2000): 3668
Housing Units (2000): 1561
Land area (2000): 1.655273 sq. miles (4.287136 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.067223 sq. miles (0.174108 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 1.722496 sq. miles (4.461244 sq. km)
FIPS code: 41310
Located within: Delaware (DE), FIPS 10
Location: 38.557091 N, 75.572789 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 19956
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Laurel, DE
Laurel
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Laurel, FL -- U.S. Census Designated Place in Florida
Population (2000): 8393
Housing Units (2000): 5047
Land area (2000): 5.214527 sq. miles (13.505563 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.863505 sq. miles (2.236467 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 6.078032 sq. miles (15.742030 sq. km)
FIPS code: 39600
Located within: Florida (FL), FIPS 12
Location: 27.141440 N, 82.462304 W
ZIP Codes (1990):
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Laurel, FL
Laurel
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Laurel, IN -- U.S. town in Indiana
Population (2000): 579
Housing Units (2000): 220
Land area (2000): 0.237819 sq. miles (0.615948 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.237819 sq. miles (0.615948 sq. km)
FIPS code: 42372
Located within: Indiana (IN), FIPS 18
Location: 39.500936 N, 85.186895 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 47024
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Laurel, IN
Laurel
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Laurel, IA -- U.S. city in Iowa
Population (2000): 266
Housing Units (2000): 122
Land area (2000): 0.251721 sq. miles (0.651954 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.251721 sq. miles (0.651954 sq. km)
FIPS code: 43680
Located within: Iowa (IA), FIPS 19
Location: 41.883720 N, 92.922906 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 50141
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Laurel, IA
Laurel
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Laurel, MD -- U.S. city in Maryland
Population (2000): 19960
Housing Units (2000): 9506
Land area (2000): 3.780148 sq. miles (9.790539 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.025777 sq. miles (0.066763 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 3.805925 sq. miles (9.857302 sq. km)
FIPS code: 45900
Located within: Maryland (MD), FIPS 24
Location: 39.098258 N, 76.859093 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 20707 20723 20724
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Laurel, MD
Laurel
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Laurel, VA -- U.S. Census Designated Place in Virginia
Population (2000): 14875
Housing Units (2000): 6522
Land area (2000): 5.481665 sq. miles (14.197447 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.019189 sq. miles (0.049700 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 5.500854 sq. miles (14.247147 sq. km)
FIPS code: 44280
Located within: Virginia (VA), FIPS 51
Location: 37.634012 N, 77.506661 W
ZIP Codes (1990):
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Laurel, VA
Laurel
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Laurel, MS -- U.S. city in Mississippi
Population (2000): 18393
Housing Units (2000): 7804
Land area (2000): 15.426026 sq. miles (39.953222 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.334144 sq. miles (0.865428 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 15.760170 sq. miles (40.818650 sq. km)
FIPS code: 39640
Located within: Mississippi (MS), FIPS 28
Location: 31.697412 N, 89.139315 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 39440
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Laurel, MS
Laurel