deciduous

American  

[dih-sij-oo-uhs] / dɪˈsɪdʒ u əs /

adjective

1. shedding the leaves annually, as certain trees and shrubs.

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

3. not permanent; transitory.

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deciduous British  

/ dɪˈsɪdjʊəs /

adjective

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

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

3. rare impermanent; transitory Compare evergreen

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deciduous Scientific  

/ dĭ-sĭj′o̅o̅-əs /

1. 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.

2. Compare evergreen See more at abscission

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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nondeciduousness
  noun
• nondeciduously
  adverb
• deciduousness
  noun
• nondeciduous
  adjective
• deciduously
  adverb

Etymology

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

Explanation

Hemlock, blue spruce, and white pine are all evergreens. These trees have leaves throughout the year. Oak, maple, and elm are examples of deciduous trees. They lose their foliage in the fall and grow new leaves in the spring. Trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials that shed their leaves for part of the year are categorized by botanists as deciduous. In temperate and polar regions, these plants are generally bare during the cold of winter. In other parts of the world, deciduous plants lose their leaves during the dry part of the year. The word deciduous can also be used to describe parts of the body, such as a deer's antlers or human baby teeth, that are cast off seasonally or at a particular period of development.

Example Sentences

Deciduous tree species, whose direct ancestors are not even half as old, live closely alongside them.

From Science Daily • Dec. 3, 2024

Deciduous trees that lose all their leaves in the fall, including fruit trees, should be pruned before they leaf out again, which is January through March in Southern California, Hodel said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 21, 2023

Pro tip: Deciduous grasses and daffodils are always a winning combo.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 23, 2022

Deciduous shrubs - those that lose their leaves each winter - are always sending up new stems at or near ground level.

From Washington Times • Feb. 26, 2019

Leaves: Deciduous, oval to oblong, dark green above, pale and hairy beneath.

From Wild Flowers An Aid to Knowledge of Our Wild Flowers and Their Insect Visitors by Blanchan, Neltje

Related Words

• brief
• ephemeral
• fleeting
• momentary
• short-term
• temporary
• transitory