free-leafed
|free-leafed|
/ˈfriːˌliːft/
separate (not joined) leaves/pages
Etymology
'free-leafed' originates from English, specifically the words 'free' and 'leaf', where 'free' meant 'not constrained' and 'leaf' meant 'a leaf (of a plant)'.
'free' comes from Old English 'frēo' and 'leaf' comes from Old English 'lēaf'; the modern compound adjective 'free-leafed' is formed by combining these elements with the adjectival suffix '-ed'.
Initially it described simply that leaves were 'free' or 'unjoined'; over time the term has been applied in technical senses in botany (separate leaves) and in publishing/printing (removable pages), while retaining the core idea of 'not joined'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
in botany: having leaves that are separate (not fused to each other or to the stem).
The specimen is free-leafed, with each leaf attached at a distinct node.
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Adjective 2
of books or documents: having loose or removable leaves (pages) rather than being permanently bound.
The manual was issued free-leafed so pages could be updated individually.
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Last updated: 2025/12/19 19:17