# ivy

/ˈaɪvi/ (US) · /ˈaɪvi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ivy
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. climbing plant

noun · CEFR B2

a plant with green leaves that grows along the ground or climbs up walls and trees.

For teachers: any woody, climbing, or trailing evergreen plant of the genus Hedera, often found on buildings or in woodland.

- Thick green ivy covered the old brick walls of the cottage.
- The gardener spent the afternoon pruning the invasive ivy that had begun to choke the oak trees at the edge of the estate.

### 2. elite university

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Informal

a university that belongs to the Ivy League, a group of famous and expensive schools in the US.

For teachers: a member institution of the Ivy League, an athletic conference comprising eight private research universities in the Northeastern United States known for high academic social prestige.

- She worked hard in high school because she wanted to attend an ivy.
- While many students dream of attending an ivy, the admissions process remains incredibly competitive and selective.

Usage: Usually used as a countable noun in this informal sense.

## Examples

- Thick green ivy grows all over the old stone walls.
- The gardener spent the afternoon trimming the ivy to prevent it from blocking the windows of the cottage.
- 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.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.