# perennial

/pɝˈɛniəɫ/ (US) · /pəɹˈɛnɪəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/perennial
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. lasting or recurring

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

happening again and again, or lasting for a long time.

For teachers: continuing for an indefinitely long time or recurring repeatedly. Often used to describe problems, themes, or interests that never seem to go away.

- Traffic congestion is a perennial problem in this growing city.
- The philosopher addressed the perennial questions of human existence, focusing on the search for meaning in an increasingly secular world.

Usage: Commonly used to modify nouns representing abstract problems or themes.

### 2. living many years

adjective · CEFR B2 · Technical

describing a plant that lives for more than two years.

For teachers: having a life cycle lasting more than two years. In botanical contexts, it is a non-gradable adjective.

- I prefer planting perennial flowers so I do not have to replant them every spring.
- Perennial shrubs are essential for providing structure to a garden during the winter months when smaller plants have died back.

Usage: Usually precedes the noun it modifies in botanical descriptions.

### 3. a long-lived plant

noun · CEFR B2

a plant that lives for several years.

For teachers: a plant that persists for several years, usually dying back to the ground in winter and regrowing from the same root system in spring.

- These perennials will bloom every summer if you take care of the soil.
- The gardener recommended a mix of hardy perennials to ensure the flower beds remained vibrant year after year without total replanting.

## Examples

- Traffic congestion is a perennial problem in this city.
- The professor's lecture focused on the perennial themes of love and loss in classical literature.
- While some political issues are temporary and tied to specific events, the debate over individual liberty remains a perennial concern for democratic societies.

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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.