Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Nearby Words

deciduous

 - 6 dictionary results

de⋅cid⋅u⋅ous

  [di-sij-oo-uhs]
Use deciduous in a Sentence
–adjective
1. shedding the leaves annually, as certain trees and shrubs.
2. falling off or shed at a particular season, stage of growth, etc., as leaves, horns, or teeth.
3. not permanent; transitory.
Origin:
1650–60; < L dēciduus tending to fall, falling, equiv. to dēcid(ere) to fall off, down (dē- de- + -cidere, comb. form of cadere to fall) + -uus deverbal adj. suffix; see -ous

Related forms:
de⋅cid⋅u⋅ous⋅ly, adverb
de⋅cid⋅u⋅ous⋅ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To deciduous
de·cid·u·ous   (dĭ-sĭj'ōō-əs)   
adj.  

  1. Falling off or shed at a specific season or stage of growth: deciduous antlers; deciduous leaves; deciduous teeth.

  2. Shedding or losing foliage at the end of the growing season: deciduous trees.

  3. Not lasting; ephemeral.


[From Latin dēciduus, from dēcidere, to fall off : dē-, de- + cadere, to fall; see kad- in Indo-European roots.]
de·cid'u·ous·ly adv., de·cid'u·ous·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

deciduous 
1688, from L. deciduus "that which falls off," from decidere "to fall off," from de- "down" + cadere "to fall" (see case (1)). Originally with reference to leaves, petals, teeth, etc.; specific sense of "trees whose leaves fall off" (opposed to evergreen) is from 1778.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: de·cid·u·ous
Pronunciation: di-'sij-&-w&s
Function: adjective
1 : falling off or shed at a certain stage inthe life cycle
2 : having deciduous parts deciduous dentition>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

deciduous de·cid·u·ous (dĭ-sĭj'&oomacr;-əs)
adj.

  1. Falling off or shed at a specific stage of growth, as teeth of the first dentition.

  2. Of, relating to, or being the first or primary dentition.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Science Dictionary
deciduous   (dĭ-sĭj'-əs)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. Shedding leaves at the end of a growing season and regrowing them at the beginning of the next growing season. Most deciduous plants bear flowers and have woody stems and broad rather than needlelike leaves. Maples, oaks, elms, and aspens are deciduous. Compare evergreen. See more at abscission.

  2. Falling off or shed at a particular season or stage of growth, as antlers.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see deciduous on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way