coniferous

American  

[koh-nif-er-uhs, kuh-] / koʊˈnɪf ər əs, kə- /

adjective

Botany.

1. belonging or pertaining to the conifers.

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coniferous British  

/ kɒ-, kəˈnɪfərəs /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the plant phylum Coniferophyta See conifer

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Etymology

Origin of coniferous

First recorded in 1655–65; see origin at conifer, -ous

Explanation

Anything that's coniferous has to do with trees or shrubs that grow pinecones. If you celebrate Christmas, you might observe the holiday by decorating a coniferous tree with lights and ornaments. The adjective coniferous is used to describe conifers, woody evergreens that have cones and needles rather than leaves. Coniferous forests and taigas are full of these trees, including pines, hemlocks, junipers, and firs. Whenever you see a pinecone, you can be sure it came from a coniferous tree or shrub. The Latin source of coniferous means "cone-bearing," from roots conus, "cone," and ferre, "to carry."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

coniferous

Neither the Amazon nor the Congo, it is the 1.5 billion acre band of coniferous forest running from Newfoundland to Alaska.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026

These results are applicable to California, which also has coniferous forest and relies on snowpack to provide moisture during the relatively drier summer seasons, Fairfax said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2024

They were also more likely to consume seeds on the spot in coniferous forests than in broadleaf forests, again probably because of the availability of other food stores.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2023

Among all the cities, Seattle’s coniferous forests was the coolest type, by about 9 degrees on average.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 15, 2023

Such places, the watersheds of the great coniferous forests of spruce and balsam, of hemlock and pine, provide the kind of spawning grounds that salmon must have in order to survive.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson