Advertisement

Advertisement

ivy

1

[ ahy-vee ]

noun

, plural i·vies.
  1. Also called English ivy. a climbing vine, Hedera helix, having smooth, shiny, evergreen leaves, small, yellowish flowers, and black berries, grown as an ornamental.
  2. any of various other climbing or trailing plants.


adjective

  1. (often initial capital letter) Ivy League ( def 2 ).
  2. New England. mountain laurel.

Ivy

2

[ ahy-vee ]

noun

  1. a female given name.

ivy

/ ˈaɪvɪ /

noun

  1. any woody climbing or trailing araliaceous plant of the Old World genus Hedera, esp H. helix, having lobed evergreen leaves and black berry-like fruits
  2. any of various other climbing or creeping plants, such as Boston ivy, poison ivy, and ground ivy
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈivy-ˌlike, adjective
Discover More

Other Words From

  • ivy·like adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of ivy1

before 900; Middle English ivi; Old English ifig; akin to German Efeu
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of ivy1

Old English īfig; related to Old High German ebah, perhaps to Greek iphuon a plant
Discover More

Example Sentences

His most recommended plant was tree ivy—its juices sprayed up the nostrils.

From the religious (‘The Holly and the Ivy’) to the secular (‘The Chipmunk Song’), my top 20.

White, upper-middle-class, Ivy-League educated white men, however Great they are, are falling out of power.

In Confessions of an Ivy League Frat Boy, the self-induced, self-absorbed Greek tragedy of Andrew Lohse.

Ironically enough this madrassa is run mostly by Ivy League-educated Jews.

The villa and its terrace were built of white stone, but a large portion of the walls was covered with ivy.

Now under the ivy-laden branches of a tall old tree an owl startles them with its shriek.

It has a huge ivy-covered tower and its interior gives every evidence of the age-lasting solidity of the English churches.

Around us rose the broken, straggling walls, bare and bleak, without a shred of ivy or wall-flower to hide their grim nakedness.

The church, half covered by ivy and standing against a background of fine trees, presents a beautiful picture.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


-ivusivy geranium