bifoliate
|bi-fo-li-ate|
🇺🇸
/ˌbaɪˈfoʊliət/
🇬🇧
/ˌbaɪˈfəʊlɪət/
having two leaves
Etymology
'bifoliate' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'bifoliatus', where 'bi-' meant 'two' and 'folium' meant 'leaf'.
'bifoliatus' was used in Late/Medieval Latin and in botanical Latin; it entered English usage as the adjective 'bifoliate' (used in botanical descriptions) in modern scientific English.
Initially it meant 'having two leaves' in Latin and botanical usage, and this basic meaning has been retained in English botanical terminology.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a structure (such as a leaf) that has two leaflets or two leaves.
Some legumes produce bifoliates rather than pinnate leaves.
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Adjective 1
having two leaves or two leaflets; bearing two foliage units.
The shrub is bifoliate, with each stem bearing two opposite leaflets.
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Last updated: 2025/11/28 20:24