foliage

noun

fo·​liage ˈfō-lē-ij How to pronounce foliage (audio)
 also  -lyij;
 nonstandard  ˈfō-lij,
nonstandard
ˈfȯi-lij How to pronounce foliage (audio)
1
: a representation of leaves, flowers, and branches for architectural ornamentation
The doorframe was decorated with beautifully carved foliage.
2
: the aggregate of leaves of one or more plants
trees with colorful autumn foliage
3
: a cluster of leaves, flowers, and branches
A wreath of foliage adorned her front door.
foliaged
ˈfō-lē-ijd How to pronounce foliage (audio)
 also  -lyijd;
 nonstandard  ˈfō-lijd
 nonstandard  ˈfȯi-
adjective
How do you pronounce foliage?: Usage Guide

The disyllabic pronunciation \ˈfō-lij\ is very common. Some commentators insist that foliage requires a trisyllabic pronunciation because of its spelling, but words of a similar pattern such as carriage and marriage do not fall under their prescription. The pronunciation \ˈfȯi-lij\ is disapproved because it suggests the transposition of the l and i in the spelling. It is not as common as \ˈfō-lij\ and may be associated with the nonstandard spelling foilage.

Did you know?

How Do You Pronounce foliage?

Whether you’re a casual leaf peeper or a card-carrying botanist, a staunch New Englander or Caribbean beach bum, there’s plenty to love about foliage—though the pronunciation of foliage has long been a point of contention among English speakers. Most commonly accepted is the trisyllabic \FOH-lee-ij\. However, there’s no denying that the pronunciations \FOH-lij\ and even \FOY-lij\ have also staked their claim. The first of these disputed pronunciations is consistent with the pronunciation of the -iage ending in marriage and carriage. The second is often more fiercely denounced, in part because of its association with the nonstandard spelling foilage. But there’s redemption for this estranged pronunciation: foliage traces back to Middle French foille ("leaf"), which is also the source of the English word foil (as in "aluminum foil"). When adopted by Middle English speakers, foil originally meant "leaf." Love it or leaf it, there’s just no taking the "foil" out of foliage.

Examples of foliage in a Sentence

a tree with pretty foliage the thick green foliage of the jungle
Recent Examples on the Web But the video – simply shot, on a bench in front of a spray of spring foliage – showed Kate earnestly sharing her story on her own terms and in her own words. Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024 This perennial forms low mounds of pretty foliage, which is evergreen in places with mild winters. Halee Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Mar. 2024 See Our Guide Eureka Springs, Arkansas For an Ozark adventure Families visiting the Ozark Mountains will find small towns teeming with charm as well as deep forests filled with some of the most dramatic fall foliage in the South. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024 Beyond the patio, towering trees and thickets of foliage around an expanse of lawn provide excellent privacy from the surrounding homes. Mark David, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2024 On one such fruitless job, Mr. McKenzie strode through some bushes near a retirement home, pushing foliage to one side and looking deep into an outhouse by the pool. Natasha Frost David Maurice Smith, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 The flashbacks are rendered as a dreamy, nostalgic trip — an abstract melange of green foliage, flashes of calming smiles and the pages of a picture book being turned. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 Another wall bears faux brick and a neon sign with the restaurant’s name, and others have the fake foliage made for Instagram shots (real potted plants line the floor, too). Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 2024 Kern Studios designs and builds the new floats, but all the finishing touches, including lighting, glitter, foliage and other decor, are done by Universal Orlando over months. USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foliage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French fuellage, from foille leaf — more at foil entry 2

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foliage was in 1598

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near foliage

Cite this Entry

“Foliage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foliage. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

foliage

noun
fo·​li·​age
ˈfō-l(ē-)ij,
 also  ˈfōl-yij
: the mass of leaves of a plant
foliaged
-l(ē-)ijd
 also  -yijd
adjective
Etymology

an altered form of earlier foillage "a mass of leaves," from early French fuellage (same meaning), from fuelle, foille "leaf," derived from Latin folium "leaf" — related to foil entry 2, portfolio

More from Merriam-Webster on foliage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!