free-leaved
|free-leaved|
/ˈfriːˌliːvd/
leaves not fused / abundant foliage (by extension)
Etymology
'free-leaved' originates from Modern English, specifically the compound of 'free' and 'leaf' (with the past-participle/adjectival suffix '-ed'), where 'free' originally meant 'not bound or joined' and 'leaf' meant 'a flat photosynthetic organ of a plant'.
'free-leaved' evolved as a descriptive compound in Modern English from the Old English elements 'frēo' (free) and 'lēaf' (leaf); these elements persisted into Middle English and were re-combined in technical botanical usage in later English.
Initially the components meant 'not bound' and 'leaf' respectively; combined, the term has been used in botanical contexts to mean 'leaves not fused' and has also seen extended use to describe plants with abundant foliage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
in botany: having leaves that are not fused to one another or to other structures (each leaf attached separately).
The species is free-leaved, with each leaf arising separately along the stem.
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Adjective 2
by extension (literary or horticultural): producing or bearing leaves freely; having abundant foliage.
The cultivar is valued for its free-leaved habit and dense summer foliage.
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Last updated: 2025/09/23 21:30