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• leaf
  leaf

  noun

  one of the expanded, usually green organs borne by the stem of a plant.
• Leaf
  Leaf

  noun

  Munro 1905–76, U.S. author and illustrator of books for children.

leaf

¹ American  

[leef] / lif /

noun

• leaves
  plural

1. one of the expanded, usually green organs borne by the stem of a plant.

2. any similar or corresponding lateral outgrowth of a stem.

3. a petal.

   a rose leaf.

4. leaves collectively; foliage.

5. Bibliography. a unit generally comprising two printed, blank, or illustrated pages of a book, one on each side.

6. a thin sheet of metal.

   silver leaf.

7. a lamina or layer.

8. a sliding, hinged, or detachable flat part, as of a door or tabletop.

9. a section of a drawbridge.

10. a single strip of metal in a leaf spring.

11. a tooth of a small gear wheel, as of a pinion.

12. leaf fat.

13. Textiles. shaft.

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verb (used without object)

• leafs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• leafed,
  past participle,  past
• leafing
  present participle

1. to put forth leaves.

2. to turn pages, especially quickly (usually followed bythrough ).

   to leaf through a book.

verb (used with object)

• leafs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• leafed,
  past participle,  past
• leafing
  present participle

1. to thumb or turn, as the pages of a book or magazine, in a casual or cursory inspection of the contents.

idioms

1. in leaf, covered with foliage; having leaves.

   the pale green tint of the woods newly in leaf.

2. take a leaf out of / from someone's book, to follow someone's example; imitate.

   Some countries that took a leaf out of American industry's book are now doing very well for themselves.

3. turn over a new leaf, to begin anew; make a fresh start.

   Every New Year's we make resolutions to turn over a new leaf.

Leaf ² American  

[leef] / lif /

noun

1. Munro 1905–76, U.S. author and illustrator of books for children.

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leaf British  

/ liːf /

noun

1. the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants, usually consisting of a flat green blade attached to the stem directly or by a stalk

2. foliage collectively

3. (of shrubs, trees, etc) having a full complement of foliage leaves

4. one of the sheets of paper in a book

5. a hinged, sliding, or detachable part, such as an extension to a table

6. metal in the form of a very thin flexible sheet

   gold leaf

7. a foil or thin strip of metal in a composite material; lamina

8. short for leaf spring

9. the inner or outer wall of a cavity wall

10. a crop that is harvested in the form of leaves

11. a metal strip forming one of the laminations in a leaf spring

12. a slang word for marijuana

13. to imitate someone, esp in one particular course of action

14. to begin a new and improved course of behaviour

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verb

1. to turn (through pages, sheets, etc) cursorily

2. (intr) (of plants) to produce leaves

leaf Scientific  

/ lēf /

1. An appendage growing from the stem of a plant. Leaves are extremely variable in form and function according to species. For example, the needles of pine trees, the spines of cacti, and the bright red parts of the poinsettia plant are all leaves modified for different purposes. However, most leaves are flat and green and adapted to capturing sunlight and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. They consist of an outer tissue layer (the epidermis) through which water and gases are exchanged, a spongy inner layer of cells that contain chloroplasts, and veins that supply water and minerals and carry out food. Some leaves are simple, while others are compound, consisting of multiple leaflets. The flat part of the leaf, the blade, is often attached to the stem by a leafstalk.

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leaf More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing leaf

• quake in one's boots (like a leaf)
• take a leaf out of someone's book
• turn over a new leaf

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• leaflessness
  noun
• unleaf
  verb (used with object)
• leafless
  adjective
• leaflike
  adjective
• unleaflike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• leaves
  plural

Participles

• leafing
  present
• leafed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• leaf
  simple
• leafs
  simple
• have leafed
  perfect
• has leafed
  perfect
• am leafing
  progressive
• are leafing
  progressive
• is leafing
  progressive
• have been leafing
  perfect progressive
• has been leafing
  perfect progressive

Past

• leafed
  simple
• had leafed
  perfect
• was leafing
  progressive
• were leafing
  progressive
• had been leafing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will leaf
  simple
• will have leafed
  perfect
• will be leafing
  progressive
• will have been leafing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of leaf

First recorded before 900; Middle English leef, lef, Old English lēaf; cognate with Dutch loof, German Laub, Old Norse lauf, Gothic laufs

Explanation

A leaf is part of a plant that's usually green and attached to it by a stem or stalk. In the fall, the leaves of many trees turn various bright colors before falling to the ground. In the spring, trees grow new leaves. Ahhh, the circle of life. A plant's leaves are the organs that take part in photosynthesis, which brings it needed nutrients. From this botanical meaning comes another definition of leaf, "a sheet of printed paper or a page in a book." And when you leaf through a book, you turn its pages. You might also "tremble like a leaf," or shake with fear; or "turn over a new leaf," start a new part of your life with new resolutions or attitudes.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

leaf Leaf leaves leafs leafed leafing

The group ended the letter saying they hope it inspired Aberaeron to "turn over a new leaf and let mackerel swim free".

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

Lately, America’s adversaries seem to be taking a leaf out of his book.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

This early-to-mid 19th century craft involves applying artwork, lettering and gold leaf backwards onto glass panes, as often seen in traditional pubs or shop fronts.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

Rather than relying on one gene to determine leaf shape, evolution appears to modify different parts of a larger genetic network.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026

Fred spat out the last bit of pea leaf and crawled into the wagon for a wild ride down the hill.

From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr

As battery technology has advanced, EVs have avoided problems like the ones that plagued the original Nissan Leaf when it hit the market in 2010, for example.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

The Bolt is set to be discontinued next year, and Nissan has pulled its cheapest Leaf variant from the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026

The Ijima's Leaf Warbler is already classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is protected in Japan as a "Natural Monument."

From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026

Jason Coughran, a 60-year-old with an athletic build, had set out on a trek last Monday into Desolation Wilderness from nearby Fallen Leaf Lake.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026

One crew did the exterior renovations on what had once been the small Ohio city’s most magnificent building, the Gold Leaf Bank.

From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein

When one player leaves his opponent to press somebody else, team-mates behind him have to recognise the movement and cover the player left free.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

As the brain develops, it leaves impressions on the surrounding bone, so those preserved structures can provide important evidence about the way an extinct animal processed information from its surroundings.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

The noise is especially hard on her husband, who frequently leaves for his job before 5 a.m.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

He enters reluctantly, since he knows nothing about baseball, and leaves fired up by the heroism of men like Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson.

From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026

Clare fed the hungry flame with twigs and leaves, carefully giving it what it needed to grow but not a sprig more.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

In her one-bedroom apartment, where quotes from Scripture hang on nearly every wall, she leafs through her collection of Bibles each day.

From New York Times ● May 23, 2024

He leafs through a paperback copy of “Chocolate for a Woman’s Heart” from a nearby bookshelf.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2023

Four decades later, there’s a sense of intimacy as she leafs through sketches, fabric swatches and photos of Diana, displayed alongside images of the designer’s mother stitching embroidery into the gown.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 26, 2022

Walking with Gregory6 in bare treed October ash woods—winds blowing brown sere leafs at feet—talking of dead Jack—the sky an old familiar place with fragrant eyebrow clouds passing overhead in Fall Current—

From The New Yorker ● Oct. 20, 2019

I hit the ground so hard and sudden that my mouth came open and I swallowed a bunch of dirt and old dead leafs.

From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis

At the airport, I leafed through the collection of mid-1800s botanical illustrations, unable to imagine a more appropriate souvenir.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025

It’s just a 5-foot skinny stick now, but it has leafed out and is so beautiful and full of promise.

From Seattle Times ● May 24, 2024

They were on my mind at Manzanita Park as I leafed through an election guide, searching for a Latino candidate — any Latino candidate — to vote for.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2023

Perhaps you belong to a tinned-fish-of-the-month club, or have leafed through a tinned-fish-focused cookbook that tells you how best to cook a food already cooked.

From New York Times ● Jul. 3, 2023

With shaking hands, she leafed through the fat suburban phone book until she found the number for the Stokeses in Thompson Park who supposedly lived on Aspen Avenue.

From "The Great Gilly Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson

Spend enough time cooking — or leafing through cookbooks in bed — and you notice certain ingredients keep reaching for one another.

From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026

Shortly after opening time on a recent morning, the Kettering store already had a number of middle-aged customers milling about the space leafing through magazines—yes, it has those—or asking for advice.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

Leo Kelly—a devout Christian Iowan who was seen ascending the Senate dais, leafing through sensitive documents, and praying in the chamber—described it as “a blessing.”

From Slate ● May 28, 2026

Trees only delay leafing after actual infestations, which prevents insects from adapting to the change over time.

From Science Daily ● May 5, 2026

Sprawled on the floor, standing around in small groups, or sitting on desktops, they were leafing through old newspapers, looking for the editorial pages.

From "The Landry News" by Andrew Clements

Related Words

• frond
• needle
• petal
• stalk