steel magnolia

English

Etymology

• Combining the contrasting images of steel, a hard metal, and magnolia, a flower.

Noun

steel magnolia (plural steel magnolias)

1. (chiefly Southern US) A woman who exemplifies both traditional femininity and an uncommon fortitude.
   • 1983, Roland Bartel, Metaphors and symbols: Forays into Language, National Council of Teachers of English, →ISBN, page 48:

     Reporters called Nancy Reagan an iron butterfly and Rosalind^[sic] Carter a steel magnolia.

   • 1998, John Berendt (introduction), The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook‎^[1], Random House, Inc., →ISBN, page xv:

     Ms. Deen is an irresistible example of that extraordinary phenomenon of Southern womanhood, the steel magnolia. She is always appealing and gracious but possessed of an unfailing survival instinct — a necessary character trait for a Southern cook to make it.

   • 2009, Nancy Haddock, Last Vampire Standing‎^[2], Penguin Group, →ISBN, page 111:

     "That's how Candy refers to herself to make the vamps think she's just a little Southern belle."

     "When she's really a steel magnolia?"