evergreen

American  

[ev-er-green] / ˈɛv ərˌgrin /

adjective

1. (of trees, shrubs, etc.) having green leaves throughout the entire year, the leaves of the past season not being shed until after the new foliage has been completely formed.

2. retaining its relevance, popularity, usefulness, etc.; enduring.

   Some toys are evergreen favorites.

3. Law. (of a contract or contract clause) specifying automatic renewal at the end of the term.

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noun

1. an evergreen plant.

2. evergreens, evergreen twigs or branches used for decoration.

3. something that is evergreen, or enduringly fresh.

   The paper publishes decorating tips or other archived evergreens on slow news days.

evergreen British  

/ ˈɛvəˌɡriːn /

adjective

1. (of certain trees and shrubs) bearing foliage throughout the year; continually shedding and replacing leaves Compare deciduous

2. remaining fresh and vital

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noun

1. an evergreen tree or shrub

evergreen Scientific  

/ ĕv′ər-grēn′ /

1. Having green leaves or needles all year. Evergreen trees lose their leaves individually on an ongoing basis, rather than losing all of them in a short period at the end of a growing season in the manner of deciduous trees.

2. Compare deciduous

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1. An evergreen tree, shrub, or plant, such as the pine, holly, or rhododendron.

Etymology

Origin of evergreen

First recorded in 1545–55; ever + green

Explanation

An evergreen is a tree or plant that doesn't shed its leaves in the winter, but stays green all year. A Christmas tree is an evergreen. Even in the middle of winter, when so many trees in cold climates have bare branches, evergreens brighten up the landscape with vibrant green needles or leaves. Fir trees, holly bushes, and eucalyptus shrubs are all examples of evergreens. You can describe all of them using evergreen as an adjective as well: "I made the wreath using evergreen branches."

Example Sentences

Robert Lewandowski may be 37 but the evergreen Poland striker is still a class act and Barcelona are yet to confirm if he will stay beyond the summer.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

And the core of that story, a man falsely imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit and eventually driving him insane, is unfortunately pretty evergreen.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

At the impact site, a fresh evergreen scent wafted through the air from cypress trees whose branches were blown off in the strike.

From Barron's • Mar. 1, 2026

Morningstar and its private-markets-focused PitchBook unit late last year set up benchmarks dedicated to evergreen funds, citing the need for more transparency as their managers seek to attract more individual investors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

On Christmas morning near the ruins of Ypres, German troops in their trenches opposite the British began to sing carols and display bits of holiday evergreen.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

Related Words

• fir
• hedge
• pine