topiary
[ toh-pee-er-ee ]
/ ˈtoʊ piˌɛr i /
adjective
(of a plant) clipped or trimmed into fantastic shapes.
of or relating to such trimming.
noun, plural to·pi·ar·ies.
topiary work; the topiary art.
a garden containing such work.
Nearby words
Origin of topiary
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
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for topiary
British Dictionary definitions for topiary
topiary
/ (ˈtəʊpɪərɪ) /
adjective
of, relating to, or characterized by the trimming or training of trees or bushes into artificial decorative animal, geometric, or other shapes
noun
plural -aries
- topiary work
- a topiary garden
the art of topiary
Derived Formstopiarian (ˌtəʊpɪˈɛərɪən), adjectivetopiarist, noun
Word Origin for topiary
C16: from French topiaire, from Latin topia decorative garden work, from Greek topion little place, from topos place
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for topiary
topiary
1590s, from Latin topiarius "of or pertaining to ornamental gardening," from topia "ornamental gardening," from Greek topia, plural of topion, originally "a field," diminutive of topos "place" (see topos). The noun is first recorded 1908, from the adjective.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper