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deciduous

[ dih-sij-oo-uhs ]

/ dɪˈsɪdʒ u əs /

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See synonyms for deciduous on Thesaurus.com

adjective

shedding the leaves annually, as certain trees and shrubs.

falling off or shed at a particular season, stage of growth, etc., as leaves, horns, or teeth.

not permanent; transitory.

VIDEO FOR DECIDUOUS

Deciduous: Visual Word of the Day

Pine and fir trees kept their green while their deciduous brothers were a riot of color. -- Crickett Starr, Violet Among the Roses

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See also caducous, fugacious.

Origin of deciduous

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin dēciduus “tending to fall, falling,” equivalent to dēcid(ere) “to fall off, down” (dē- verb prefix of removal) + -cidere (combining form of cadere “to fall”) + -uus adjective suffix. See de-, -ous

OTHER WORDS FROM deciduous

de·cid·u·ous·ly, adverbde·cid·u·ous·ness, nounnon·de·cid·u·ous, adjectivenon·de·cid·u·ous·ly, adverb

non·de·cid·u·ous·ness, noun

Words nearby deciduous

decider, deciding, decidua, deciduate, deciduitis, deciduous, deciduous trees and shrubs, decigram, decile, deciliter, decilitre

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use deciduous in a sentence

This sweet spot happens in September, just before the deciduous trees start flaming all-out crimson.
The 25 Best Fall Trips in the World|jversteegh|August 9, 2021|Outside Online
The Trace slices through eastern deciduous forests, cave-rich limestone landscapes, and, farther south, bayous and cypress swamps alongside slow-moving rivers.
It’s Time to Rethink Your Next Midwest Road Trip|kklein|August 8, 2021|Outside Online
Bordering the Pacific Ocean, the rainforest region of the peninsula is filled with deciduous old-growth, moss-laden forests that sparkle amidst the infamous drizzle of the Pacific Northwest.
The Military’s ‘Garbage Disposal’ Jets Are Ruining One of America’s Quietest Parks|Daniel Modlin|June 7, 2021|The Daily Beast
Winter is the optimum time to prune most deciduous woody plants, when they are dormant and their branch architecture is most evident.
It’s tree-pruning season. Here’s how to do it without resorting to ‘crape murder.’|Adrian Higgins|January 27, 2021|Washington Post

It is the deciduous, woody plants that give a place its sense of seasonality and vitality.
Winter wonders: Conifers revive the sleeping garden. But remember, less is more.|Adrian Higgins|December 2, 2020|Washington Post
However, they were not seen to venture far into the surrounding deciduous forest.
Summer Birds From the Yucatan Peninsula|Erwin E. Klaas
Hardwood trees shed their leaves annually, and they are called deciduous trees.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
This is known as the "deciduous" habit, and such trees are called deciduous trees, in distinction from "evergreen" trees.
Birds and All Nature, Vol. VI, No. 3, October 1899|Various
It will grow and has been found on almost any deciduous tree, preferring those with soft bark, and growing very seldom on the Oak.
The plant-lore and garden-craft of Shakespeare|Henry Nicholson Ellacombe
At any rate, it is the only deciduous tree I know of that does not let go the old seed till the new is well on the way.
A Year in the Fields|John Burroughs

British Dictionary definitions for deciduous

deciduous

/ (dɪˈsɪdjʊəs) /

adjective

(of trees and shrubs) shedding all leaves annually at the end of the growing season and then having a dormant period without leavesCompare evergreen (def. 1)

(of antlers, wings, teeth, etc) being shed at the end of a period of growth

rare impermanent; transitoryCompare evergreen (def. 2)

Derived forms of deciduous

deciduously, adverbdeciduousness, noun

Word Origin for deciduous

C17: from Latin dēciduus falling off, from dēcidere to fall down, from cadere to fall

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for deciduous

deciduous

[ dĭ-sĭj′ōō-əs ]

Shedding leaves at the end of a growing season and regrowing them at the beginning of the next growing season. Most deciduous plants bear flowers and have woody stems and broad rather than needlelike leaves. Maples, oaks, elms, and aspens are deciduous. Compare evergreen. See more at abscission.

Falling off or shed at a particular season or stage of growth, as antlers.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.