topiary

[ toh-pee-er-ee ]

adjective

1. (of a plant) clipped or trimmed into fantastic shapes.
2. of or relating to such trimming.

noun

, plural to·pi·ar·ies.

1. topiary work; the topiary art.
2. a garden containing such work.

topiary

/ ˈtəʊpɪərɪ; ˌtəʊpɪˈɛərɪən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by the trimming or training of trees or bushes into artificial decorative animal, geometric, or other shapes

noun

1. -aries
   1. topiary work
   2. a topiary garden
2. the art of topiary

Derived Forms

• ˈtopiarist, noun
• topiarian, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of topiary¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of topiary¹

C16: from French topiaire, from Latin topia decorative garden work, from Greek topion little place, from topos place

Example Sentences

This is how the popular topiary artist, whose longtime clients include Martha Stewart, rolls these days in his high-top white Nissan.

From Seattle Times

She craned her neck to see all the topiary mazes of moonflower hedges and starfruit trees.

From Literature

Plan ahead now to give your yard permanent color and texture even in the bleakest months with evergreen hedges, small trees or glamorous topiary.

From Seattle Times

For us, the Edgar is a work of rasquache art, a human topiary requiring habitual maintenance.

From Los Angeles Times

He chose it as the site for the first Galaxy Garden, a topiary re-creation of the Milky Way.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• forest
• sapling
• seedling
• shrub
• timber
• wood