English Reference
Adjective

deciduous

adj.
C1 Advanced US /ˌdɪˈsɪdʒuəs/ UK /dɪsˈɪdjuːəs/ de·cid·u·ous Anatomy Biology Botany

adj.describing a tree or bush that loses its leaves every year, usually in the autumn. It can also describe things that fall off naturally, like baby teeth.

adj.shedding leaves annually at the end of the growing season. In a broader biological sense, refers to parts that are shed at a particular stage of development, such as primary teeth or antlers.


SIMPLE

Oak and maple are common deciduous trees.

CONTEXTUAL

In the autumn, the deciduous forest transforms into a vibrant display of red and gold before the leaves fall.

COMPLEX

The evolutionary advantage of deciduous behavior lies in the plant's ability to conserve water and energy during harsh winter months when photosynthesis would be inefficient.

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun like 'forest', 'tree', or 'teeth'.

In addition, ecosystems are likely to be increasingly dominated by deciduous tree cover as spruce species are pushed out by fire.

Phys.org· 2 Sept 2026

From Latin dēciduus (“falling down or off”), from dēcidō (“to fall down”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin dēciduus
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated