Also called English ivy. a climbing vine, Hedera helix, having smooth, shiny, evergreen leaves, small, yellowish flowers, and black berries, grown as an ornamental.
any of various other climbing or trailing plants.
(often initial capital letter) Ivy League.
New England. mountain laurel.
any woody climbing or trailing araliaceous plant of the Old World genus Hedera, esp H. helix, having lobed evergreen leaves and black berry-like fruits
any of various other climbing or creeping plants, such as Boston ivy, poison ivy, and ground ivy
before 900; Middle English ivi; Old English ifig; akin to German Efeu
Ivy is a plant that climbs fences and trellises, or creeps along the ground as it grows. Most ivy has dark, shiny leaves with five points. There are many types of ivy, from English ivy (which you can also grow indoors), to the true ivy's close relative, poison ivy, which is famously irritating, causing a terrible, itchy rash. Ivies are evergreen, which means they keep their green leaves in the winter. The so-called "Ivy League" is a group of eight selective colleges (including Harvard and Princeton), given this name for the ivy that creeps up many of the campuses' old brick buildings.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She also recommends devil's ivy for a bathroom which will see lots of moisture, and a false caster oil plant for a shady room or hallway.
From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026
What about snakes and ticks and poison ivy?
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025
You have three unhealthy patterns that have taken hold, like ivy that has grown into the foundations of your home: repeated conflict, avoidance of conflict, and your inability to agree on financial management.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 9, 2025
She’s standing in front of a marble fireplace decked with ivy.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 18, 2025
I pull back the curtain of ivy where he’s scratching and see moonlight shining off another door handle.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
