canopy

American  

[kan-uh-pee] / ˈkæn ə pi /

noun

plural

canopies

1. a covering, usually of fabric, supported on poles or suspended above a bed, throne, exalted personage, or sacred object.

2. an overhanging projection or covering, as a long canvas awning stretching from the doorway of a building to a curb.

3. an ornamental, rooflike projection or covering.

4. Also called crown cover.  Also called crown canopy;.  the cover formed by the leafy upper branches of the trees in a forest.

5. the sky.

6. the part of a parachute that opens up and fills with air, usually made of nylon or silk.

7. the transparent cover over the cockpit of an airplane.

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verb (used with object)

canopied, canopying

1. to cover with or as with a canopy.

   Branches canopied the road.

canopy British  

/ ˈkænəpɪ /

noun

1. an ornamental awning above a throne or bed or held over a person of importance on ceremonial occasions

2. a rooflike covering over an altar, niche, etc

3. a roofed structure serving as a sheltered passageway or area

4. a large or wide covering, esp one high above

   the sky was a grey canopy

5. the nylon or silk hemisphere that forms the supporting surface of a parachute

6. the transparent cover of an aircraft cockpit

7. the highest level of branches and foliage in a forest, formed by the crowns of the trees

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verb

1. (tr) to cover with or as if with a canopy

Other Word Forms

• supercanopy noun
• uncanopied adjective

Etymology

Origin of canopy

1350–1400; Middle English canope < Medieval Latin canōpēum, variant of Latin cōnōpēum mosquito net < Greek kōnōpeîon bed with net to keep gnats off, equivalent to kṓnōp ( s ) gnat + -eion, neuter of -eios adj. suffix

Example Sentences

I don’t see why watches are important when an FBI agent might be asleep in my canopy bed.

From Literature

Zumthor’s building design, which includes overhanging canopies, intentionally creates shade with outdoor events in mind, the executive explained.

From Los Angeles Times

Workmen hammer stakes into the frozen ground to fit nets which they'll then stretch over the road in a canopy as protection against Russian drones.

From BBC

They towered overhead, arching together in vast canopies.

From Literature

The Cirrus SR 20 is known to deploy a parachute system and images circulating online after the crash appeared to show a yellow parachute canopy caught in a pylon nearby.

From BBC