evergreen

[ ev-er-green ]

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.

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

/ 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

noun

1. an evergreen tree or shrub

evergreen

/ ĕv′ər-grēn′ /

Adjective

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

Noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of evergreen¹

First recorded in 1545–55; ever + green

Example Sentences

Forest Service Christmas tree permit, Lyon and his wife, Amelia, trek to a national forest near their home in Missoula, Mont., to find a wild evergreen.

From Los Angeles Times

Tara flour is a high-protein substance made from the seeds of an evergreen tree found in South America.

From Los Angeles Times

One example of this is found in mixed forests, which contain coniferous evergreen tree species whose ancestors lived over 300 million years ago.

From Science Daily

Several networks, including Hallmark and Lifetime, crank out dozens of holiday-themed films each year to join such beloved evergreens as “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “Home Alone” and “A Christmas Story” that play in syndication.

From Los Angeles Times

And in a way that’s why the show can be evergreen, because we can always look at how the moment is changing.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• fir
• hedge
• pine