Home › Glossary › Letter L

Laurel

Flora
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An evergreen tree with aromatic leaves, symbolizing victory, honor, and poetic achievement.

Detailed Definition
Laurel crowns signify triumph, immortality, and artistic excellence in poetry since antiquity. Apollo’s sacred tree, it represents the poet’s hard-won glory and enduring fame. Poets use it to evoke classical ideals, the burden of legacy, and the eternal reward of creative labor.
Example
Example in poetry:
Laurel appears in classical poetry as victory crown: “Laurel wreath for the poet’s brow”; In Virgil, it’s Apollo’s tree, symbolizing prophecy; Modern eco-poems note its evergreen: “Laurel stays green while maples burn”; In love poetry, it’s enduring fame: “Not rose, but laurel—honor’s bloom”; In cautionary verse, “resting on laurels” warns complacency; In spiritual poetry, it’s purification: “Laurel leaves burn to clear the air.”
Additional Notes
Laurel (Laurus nobilis) is synonymous with Bay (ID 16105); see that entry for victory, poetic achievement, and honor symbolism; in Greco-Roman tradition, laurel wreaths crowned heroes and poets; note “mountain laurel” (Kalmia) is unrelated and toxic—clarify in American contexts.
Also Known As
Bay Laurel Cherry Laurel (for Prunus laurocerasus though different) Portugal Laurel Bay
Skip to main content