ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ivy

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈaɪvi// UK //ˈaɪvi// ivy Archaic Informal

n. a strong climbing plant with shiny green leaves that often grows up the walls of buildings or over trees. It stays green all year and can cover large areas very quickly.

n. a woody evergreen climbing plant of the genus Hedera, typically possessing glossy five-lobed leaves and aerial roots for attachment to vertical surfaces.


SIMPLE

Thick green ivy grows all over the old stone walls.

CONTEXTUAL

The gardener spent the afternoon trimming the ivy to prevent it from blocking the windows of the cottage.

COMPLEX

While aesthetically pleasing, the dense network of ivy can eventually compromise the structural integrity of brickwork by trapping moisture and expanding existing cracks in the mortar.

Etymology 1

From ivy, the name of a plant. An ivy branch used to be hung outside an establishment to advertise that it sold alcohol, so it may originally been an occupationational surname for the proprietor of such an establishment.

Etymology 2

Ellipsis of Ivy League.

Usage

Usually uncountable when referring to the plant species or a mass of it; countable when referring to specific botanical varieties.

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