giant sequoia
noun
: an evergreen tree (Sequoiadendron giganteum) of the bald cypress family that grows on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and sometimes exceeds 270 feet (about 82 meters) in height
called also big tree, sequoia
see cone illustration
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web In 2021, multiple raging wildfires in the area killed 10 to 14 percent of the world’s giant sequoia population. 
Molly Enking, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Aug. 2022 The Mariposa Grove is one of the most popular destinations at Yosemite and is home to more than 500 mature giant sequoia trees. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 21 July 2022 At this very moment, a fast-moving fire is scorching through the iconic giant sequoia grove in Yosemite National Park. Sarah Kaplan, Anchorage Daily News, 14 July 2022 On Monday afternoon, the blaze had spread to 2,340 acres and was 25% contained, with photos showing smoke and flames within feet of the giant sequoia trees. Carlie Porterfield, Forbes, 11 July 2022 Six fires over the course of six years burned more than 85% of the giant sequoia grove acreage across the larger Sierra Nevada, compared to around 25% over the previous 100 years, the National Park Service reported. Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 2 July 2022 Some species, such as the giant sequoia, rely on the heat of a fire to dry out and crack open their cones to release seeds across the forest floor. New York Times, 27 July 2022 More than 85 percent of all giant sequoia grove acreage across the Sierra Nevada burned in wildfires between 2015 and 2021, compared to only one quarter in the century before that, according to the National Park Service. Deborah Sullivan Brennan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2022 Wildfires burned more than 85 percent of giant sequoia grove acreage across the Sierra Nevada between 2015 and 2021, compared to only a quarter in the century before. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2022 See More
Molly Enking, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Aug. 2022 The Mariposa Grove is one of the most popular destinations at Yosemite and is home to more than 500 mature giant sequoia trees. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 21 July 2022 At this very moment, a fast-moving fire is scorching through the iconic giant sequoia grove in Yosemite National Park. Sarah Kaplan, Anchorage Daily News, 14 July 2022 On Monday afternoon, the blaze had spread to 2,340 acres and was 25% contained, with photos showing smoke and flames within feet of the giant sequoia trees. Carlie Porterfield, Forbes, 11 July 2022 Six fires over the course of six years burned more than 85% of the giant sequoia grove acreage across the larger Sierra Nevada, compared to around 25% over the previous 100 years, the National Park Service reported. Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 2 July 2022 Some species, such as the giant sequoia, rely on the heat of a fire to dry out and crack open their cones to release seeds across the forest floor. New York Times, 27 July 2022 More than 85 percent of all giant sequoia grove acreage across the Sierra Nevada burned in wildfires between 2015 and 2021, compared to only one quarter in the century before that, according to the National Park Service. Deborah Sullivan Brennan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2022 Wildfires burned more than 85 percent of giant sequoia grove acreage across the Sierra Nevada between 2015 and 2021, compared to only a quarter in the century before. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1860, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
giant sequoia
noun
: an evergreen tree of California that has needles for leaves and can sometimes grow to over 270 feet (about 82 meters) in height