any of various ericaceous shrubs or trees of the genus Kalmia, esp K. latifolia of E North America, which has leathery poisonous leaves and clusters of pink or white flowers
Also called: calico bush
mountain laurel in American English
US
an evergreen shrub (Kalmia latifolia) of the heath family, with pink and white flowers and poisonous, shiny leaves, native to E North America
Examples of 'mountain laurel' in a sentence
mountain laurel
The mountainside was alive with blooms: dogwood, rhododendron, flame azaleas, along with budding mountain laurel.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips NOBODY'S BABY BUT MINE (1997)