pendulous
Americanadjective
-
hanging down loosely.
pendulous blossoms.
- Synonyms:
- pendent
-
swinging freely; oscillating.
-
vacillating or undecided; wavering.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of pendulous
First recorded in 1595–1605, pendulous is from the Latin word pendulus hanging, swinging. See pend, -ulous
Explanation
Walking a path with pendulous trees, the kind with hanging branches, is easier if you're five rather than seven feet tall. Pendulous most commonly refers to branches of trees or bushes, or other plant matter like flowers or leaves that droop or bend downward. You could hide easily in the Amazon rain forest because of all the pendulous plant life. When not referring to plants, pendulous means "saggy" or "droopy."
Vocabulary lists containing pendulous
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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.
Low looms her singing face to point the way, Pendulous, blanched with longing, shedding flame Of silver on the brown grope of the flood.
From Gloucester Moors and Other Poems by Moody, William Vaughn
At 8,500 feet, Pendulous lichens becoming plentiful, Lonicera villosa.
From Journals of Travels in Assam, Burma, Bhootan, Afghanistan and the Neighbouring Countries by Griffith, William
At 9,500 feet, Bogh Pata very common, trees covered with Pendulous lichens, Bambusa of Sanah, Abies densa everywhere.
From Journals of Travels in Assam, Burma, Bhootan, Afghanistan and the Neighbouring Countries by Griffith, William
Pendulous: drooping: hanging free, attached to one end only.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.
Pendulous warts may be clipped off with a sharp pair of scissors.
From Common Diseases of Farm Animals by Craig, R. A., D. V. M.
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.
