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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

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

Rhode Island’s Morticia, named for the Addams Family matriarch, spent much of its life as a single leaf stalk with multiple leaflets before going dormant, leaving what looked like a big pot of dirt.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

“One leaf could kill every person in the Collective. I thought you might find it a priority to eradicate it,” I say.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

“There were a lot of factors that provided cushion,” said Barbara Leaf, who was the State Department’s top Middle East official during the Biden administration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

We are trying to innovate with the Pure Leaf brand on mental focus.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

Leaf through a textbook, watch a wellness influencer or listen in at the gym, and it can feel as though the human body has already been mapped to exhaustion.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 21, 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

Hodor carried Bran back to his chamber, muttering “Hodor” in a low voice as Leaf went before them with a torch.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Despite feeling "absolutely terrified" during the event's inaugural mixed 4x100m relay, Asher-Smith, world 200m champion in 2019, leaves Birmingham a 22-time international medallist in her senior career.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Largo, who died on Friday, leaves behind a 12-year-old son.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

Instead, we’ve somehow arrived at a version where Gen Z has collectively decided drinking isn’t fun anymore, bars are empty because nobody under 30 leaves the house and nightlife itself is quietly dying.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

The August drop leaves sentiment above the historic lows in the mid-40s touched earlier this year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

She leaves the Good Sisters orphanage to live on her grandmother’s coconut farm in Manila.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

It’s a broadleaf weed that grows in colonies or large groups and have seed leafs that are round and oval with sparse stinging hairs.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 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

“My Name Is Andrea” leafs several chapters earlier in the history books to sketch an abstract portrait of the public intellectual Andrea Dworkin.

From New York Times ● Jun. 8, 2022

After supper, Karzai said, he sometimes leafs through his old school books, partly to fend off feeling depressed, partly to see if he can retain some of his lessons.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 23, 2022

She leafs through the book slowly, stopping at a page here and there.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

While Steve’s dad leafed through documents and letters—stopping to exclaim or lament a bit—and Steve went through still more photos, I dug through his late mom’s sewing supplies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025

Standing in the chill before the courthouse opened, Macias leafed through the petition detailing her husband’s psychiatric history.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2024

During moments of rest, he leafed through a diary, written longhand by a Russian soldier: “I’ve been at war for four weeks already and I miss my mom,” Courier read.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 20, 2023

“It’s a different scenario now,” said Ms. Schlein, who had the professorial air of her professor parents as she leafed through newspapers.

From New York Times ● Mar. 4, 2023

She took the book out from under Mo's jacket and leafed through it until she found Fenoglio's sheet of paper still among the pages.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke

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

Methodically, she began leafing through the pages of her books.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

Related Words

• frond
• needle
• petal
• stalk