single-leaf
|sin-gle-leaf|
/ˈsɪŋɡəlˌliːf/
one leaf
Etymology
'single-leaf' is formed from the adjective 'single' and the noun 'leaf'. 'single' ultimately originates from Latin 'singulus' (via Old French and Middle English), where 'singulus' meant 'one each'; 'leaf' originates from Old English 'lēaf' (from Proto-Germanic *laubą), meaning 'leaf'.
The components evolved separately: Latin 'singulus' entered English via Old French and Middle English as 'single', while Old English 'lēaf' remained as 'leaf'. The compound concept 'single leaf' appears in Modern English as a descriptive compound (also written with a hyphen as 'single-leaf' or as two words 'single leaf').
Initially the elements meant 'one each' and 'leaf' respectively; combined, they have retained the straightforward literal meaning 'one leaf' and have been used in botanical and descriptive contexts with little semantic shift.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a single leaf (one individual leaf, as opposed to a leaflet or a compound leaf).
A single-leaf fell from the branch and landed on the path.
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Adjective 1
having or consisting of a single leaf (used in botany and descriptive contexts).
The plant has a single-leaf arrangement, unlike its compound-leaf relatives.
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Last updated: 2025/10/06 17:51