foliage
Definitions
The leaves of a plant or tree taken collectively
（植物的）叶子，叶丛，枝叶
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedfoli (leaf, from Latin folium) + -age (collective suffix) = 'the leaves as a whole.' Not a single leaf but the entire green mass of a plant — its overall cover of leaves.
Root foli still carries 5 more wordsUsage Guide
Uncountable: say 'dense foliage,' not 'a foliage' or 'foliages.' Spelling trap — it is fol-i-age (three syllables, an i in the middle); learners often drop it and misspell 'folage.' Strongly associated with autumn color: 'autumn foliage,' 'fall foliage,' and the tourists who chase it are 'leaf-peepers.'
Example Sentences
- 1.
Dense foliage hid the small cabin from the road.
- 2.
Tourists travel north every fall to see the autumn foliage.
- 3.
The plant needs shade and produces glossy green foliage.
Synonym Comparison
- foliage — the leaves of plants collectively; the standard, slightly formal word
- leaves — plain plural of leaf; everyday and concrete
- leafage — rare, literary synonym of foliage
- greenery — green plants/leaves used decoratively or as scenery
- verdure — literary: fresh green vegetation