trifoliate
|tri-fo-li-ate|
/ˈtraɪfəleɪt/
three-leaved
Etymology
'trifoliate' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'trifoliatus', where 'tri-' meant 'three' and 'folium' meant 'leaf'.
'trifoliate' changed from the Late Latin word 'trifoliātus' (formed from 'tri-' + 'folium') and entered English via Medieval/Scientific Latin usage, eventually becoming the modern English 'trifoliate'.
Initially, it meant 'having three leaves' in Latin, and over time it has retained that core meaning in modern English as 'having or composed of three leaflets'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a leaf or plant that has three leaflets; a three-leaved structure.
The botanist noted a rare trifoliate among the specimen's leaves.
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Verb 1
to develop or set in groups of three leaflets; to make three-leaved.
Some branches trifoliate as they mature.
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Adjective 1
having three leaflets or three distinct lobes (especially of a leaf).
A trifoliate leaf is characteristic of many clover species.
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Last updated: 2025/12/05 12:49