canopy

[ kan-uh-pee ]

noun

, plural can·o·pies.

1. a covering, usually of fabric, supported on poles or suspended above a bed, throne, exalted personage, or sacred object.
2. an overhanging projection or covering, as a long canvas awning stretching from the doorway of a building to a curb.
3. an ornamental, rooflike projection or covering.
4. Also called crown canopy;. the cover formed by the leafy upper branches of the trees in a forest.
5. the sky.
6. the part of a parachute that opens up and fills with air, usually made of nylon or silk.
7. the transparent cover over the cockpit of an airplane.

verb (used with object)

, can·o·pied, can·o·py·ing.

1. to cover with or as with a canopy:

   Branches canopied the road.

canopy

/ ˈkænəpɪ /

noun

1. an ornamental awning above a throne or bed or held over a person of importance on ceremonial occasions
2. a rooflike covering over an altar, niche, etc
3. a roofed structure serving as a sheltered passageway or area
4. a large or wide covering, esp one high above

   the sky was a grey canopy

5. the nylon or silk hemisphere that forms the supporting surface of a parachute
6. the transparent cover of an aircraft cockpit
7. the highest level of branches and foliage in a forest, formed by the crowns of the trees

verb

1. tr to cover with or as if with a canopy

Other Words From

• su·per·can·o·py noun plural supercanopies
• un·can·o·pied adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of canopy¹

1350–1400; Middle English canope < Medieval Latin canōpēum, variant of Latin cōnōpēum mosquito net < Greek kōnōpeîon bed with net to keep gnats off, equivalent to kṓnōp ( s ) gnat + -eion, neuter of -eios adj. suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of canopy¹

C14: from Medieval Latin canōpeum mosquito net, from Latin cōnōpeum gauze net, from Greek kōnōpeion bed with protective net, from kōnōps mosquito

Example Sentences

Eight people have died after a concrete canopy at a railway station in northern Serbia collapsed, the country's Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said.

From BBC

A huge Mayan city has been discovered centuries after it disappeared under jungle canopy in Mexico.

From BBC

With its its powdery pastel colors, zigzag metal canopies, space-age scoreboard and verdant terraces filled with UFO-shaped urns, Dodger Stadium lived up to the hype.

From Los Angeles Times

Many keystone tree species of the region, including red and white oaks, depend on fire to curb undergrowth and create space within the canopy so sunlight can reach seedlings.

From Salon

Studies have laid bare the unequal distribution of L.A.’s tree canopy.

From Los Angeles Times