plain-leafed
|plain-leafed|
/ˈpleɪnˌliːft/
having simple, unlobed leaves
Etymology
'plain-leafed' originates from Modern English, a compound of the adjective 'plain' and the noun 'leaf', where 'plain' ultimately comes from Latin 'planus' meaning 'flat, level' (via Old French 'plain'), and 'leaf' comes from Old English 'lǣaf' meaning 'leaf'.
'plain' developed from Old French 'plain' (from Latin 'planus'); 'leaf' comes from Old English 'lǣaf'. The adjective compound 'plain-leafed' was formed in Modern English by combining these elements to describe leaf shape.
Initially, the components signified 'flat' (for 'plain') and 'leaf'; over time the compound came to be used specifically as a botanical descriptor meaning 'having entire, unlobed leaves'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having plain (entire, unlobed, or undivided) leaves; used in botanical descriptions to indicate leaves without lobes, teeth, or divisions.
The shrub is plain-leafed, its leaves smooth along the margins and without lobes.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/10 19:58