sclerophyll

[ skleer-uh-fil ]

adjective

1. Also scle·ro·phyl·lous [] of, relating to, or exhibiting sclerophylly.

noun

1. a plant exhibiting sclerophylly.

sclerophyll

/ ˈsklɛrəʊˌfɪl; sklɛˈrɒfɪləs /

noun

1. a woody plant with small leathery evergreen leaves that is the dominant plant form in certain hot dry areas, esp the Mediterranean region

Derived Forms

• sclerophyllous, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sclerophyll¹

First recorded in 1910–15; sclero- + -phyll

Word History and Origins

Origin of sclerophyll¹

C20: from Greek sklēros hard + phullon a leaf

Example Sentences

A lot of the time, firefighting involves five or six people in a truck rolling up to a threatened area, dragging canvas hoses through sclerophyll forest and hosing down an advancing edge.

From New York Times