foliage

American  

[foh-lee-ij] / ˈfoʊ li ɪdʒ /

noun

1. the leaves of a plant, collectively; leafage.

2. leaves in general.

3. the representation of leaves, flowers, and branches in painting, architectural ornament, etc.

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foliage British  

/ ˈfəʊlɪɪdʒ /

noun

1. the green leaves of a plant

2. sprays of leaves used for decoration

3. an ornamental leaflike design

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Other Word Forms

• foliaged adjective
• unfoliaged adjective

Etymology

Origin of foliage

1400–50; late Middle English foilage < Middle French fueillage, foillage, derivative of feuille leaf; influenced by Latin folium folium. See foil ², -age

Example Sentences

In the footage, the person appears to grab foliage from outside the home and hold it up to the camera, obscuring its view.

From The Wall Street Journal

The foliage cleared, and there, at the bottom of a narrow gorge, was a thin stream of water.

From Literature

But he is best known for his inimitable, Surrealist pictures featuring skeletal, architectonic figures—merging humans, animals, foliage, totems and signs—which, though indecipherable, are instantly recognizable.

From The Wall Street Journal

Well you're not cursed and you don't need particularly green fingers for your to foliage to thrive, you just need to know where you might be going wrong, experts say.

From BBC

For a year after the fire, Hanson said, they would have appeared dead with all their foliage scorched.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• vegetation