topiary

[ toh-pee-er-ee ]

adjective

1. (of a plant) clipped or trimmed into fantastic shapes.
2. of or relating to such trimming.

noun

, plural to·pi·ar·ies.

1. topiary work; the topiary art.
2. a garden containing such work.

topiary

/ ˈtəʊpɪərɪ; ˌtəʊpɪˈɛərɪən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by the trimming or training of trees or bushes into artificial decorative animal, geometric, or other shapes

noun

1. -aries
   1. topiary work
   2. a topiary garden
2. the art of topiary

Derived Forms

• ˈtopiarist, noun
• topiarian, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of topiary¹

1585–95; < Latin topiārius pertaining to landscape-gardening or to ornamental gardens, equivalent to topi ( a ) (plural) artificial landscape (< Greek tópia (singular topion ), diminutive of tópos place) + -ārius -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of topiary¹

C16: from French topiaire, from Latin topia decorative garden work, from Greek topion little place, from topos place

Example Sentences

Cut it as a topiary à la Edward Scissorhands for a little architectural interest.

From Washington Blade

He took meeting after meeting with giddy Hollywood executives and pitched them his followup—a sci-fi epic called A Topiary.

From The Daily Beast

He cross-breeds a rocking horse and rocking dinosaur, and then realizes the hybrid as a house-high topiary.

From The Daily Beast

Real name Hector Monsegur, he helped the FBI level charges on U.K.-based team members Topiary and Kayla.

From The Daily Beast

One of them was Topiary, an alleged leader of the LulzSec group.

From The Daily Beast

Brazil, the home of facelifts, Gisele Bündchen, and pubic topiary—clearly they know beauty.

From The Daily Beast

These topiary hedges were known to the Romans, with whom the topiarius was the ornamental gardener.

From Project Gutenberg

The basin which formerly occupied the centre was replaced some years ago by a block of yew surmounted by topiary figures.

From Project Gutenberg

She had glimpses of unkempt grass paths and unclipped topiary work which had lost its original form.

From Project Gutenberg

Rapin was a great admirer of box and all topiary works, or trees cut into artificial forms.

From Project Gutenberg

There is a quaint charm in the results of the topiary art, in the prim imagery of evergreens, that all ages have felt.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• forest
• sapling
• seedling
• shrub
• timber
• wood