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

Derived Forms

• ˈivy-ˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• ivy·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ivy¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ivy¹

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

Example Sentences

The species that the algorithm had the most trouble identifying were invasive plants like ivies, which usually hug on to houses or walls.

From Popular-Science

We were talking about bringing a similar thing over, because there’s even more people taking photos of a house or cat or ivy.

From Popular-Science

Less than two days later, poison ivy’s evil active ingredient, urushiol, had done its rash-causing thing on both my legs, part of my left arm, and one of my eyeballs.

From Outside Online

She differentiated each tree and fencepost by the pattern of the English ivy wrapped upon it.

From Nautilus

The set comes with 24 pieces of ivy, each about 78 inches long.

From Popular-Science

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg