foliage
Americannoun
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the leaves of a plant, collectively; leafage.
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leaves in general.
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the representation of leaves, flowers, and branches in painting, architectural ornament, etc.
noun
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the green leaves of a plant
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sprays of leaves used for decoration
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an ornamental leaflike design
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of foliage
1400–50; late Middle English foilage < Middle French fueillage, foillage, derivative of feuille leaf; influenced by Latin folium folium. See foil 2, -age
Explanation
Foliage refers to the leafy parts of a tree or plant. Don't eat the foliage on the rhubarb plant because the leaves are poisonous and eating them can be fatal; the stems, on the other hand, are tasty. The noun foliage refers to leaves — either individual leaves or the collective leafy canopy of many trees or plants. Every autumn, thousands of people drive through the New England countryside to view the fall foliage, enjoying the brilliant russet and gold leaves against a crisp blue sky. The jungle foliage, on the other hand, can be so dense that one may have to slice through it with a machete in order to pass through it.
Vocabulary lists containing foliage
November Words
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Similes from Top AP English Exam Novels
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "F"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The beds are dotted with scented flowers such as honeysuckle, jasmine and lavender, and textured foliage and grasses that patients can touch and smell from their beds.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
On hotter days, koalas regulate body temperature by hugging trees to dissipate heat or seeking out denser foliage and lower trees away from direct sunlight.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
This provides a consistent backdrop of pink foliage, allowing an insect with similar coloring to remain hidden from predators.
From Science Daily • May 2, 2026
White walls would cede to green foliage, effectively camouflaging the facade—but also playing into the hands of critics.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
The jungle foliage was so thick, he could barely even see the sun.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
