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Definition of perennial - 6 dictionary results

per⋅en⋅ni⋅al

[puh-ren-ee-uhl]
–adjective
1. lasting for an indefinitely long time; enduring: her perennial beauty.
2. (of plants) having a life cycle lasting more than two years.
3. lasting or continuing throughout the entire year, as a stream.
4. perpetual; everlasting; continuing; recurrent.
–noun
5. a perennial plant: Daffodils and tulips are perennials.
6. something that is continuing or recurrent.

Origin:
1635–45; < L perenni(s) lasting the whole year through (per- per- + -enn-, comb. form of annus year + -is adj. suffix) + -al 1


per⋅en⋅ni⋅al⋅i⋅ty, noun
per⋅en⋅ni⋅al⋅ly, adverb


1. perdurable; constant, incessant, continual. 4. imperishable, undying, eternal, immortal.
per·en·ni·al   (pə-rěn'ē-əl)   
adj.  
  1. Lasting or active through the year or through many years.
    1. Lasting an indefinitely long time; enduring: perennial happiness.
    2. Appearing again and again; recurrent. See Synonyms at continual.
  2. Botany Living three or more years.
n.  
  1. Botany A perennial plant.
  2. Something that recurs or seems to recur on a yearly or continual basis: "that hardy perennial, the budget deficit" (David S. Broder).

[Latin perennis (per-, throughout; see per- + annus, year; see at- in Indo-European roots) + -al1.]
per·en'ni·al·ly adv.

Perennial

Per*en"ni*al\, a. [L. perennis that lasts the whole year through; per through + annus year. See Per-, and Annual.]

1. ing or continuing through the year; as, perennial fountains.

2. Continuing without cessation or intermission; perpetual; unceasing; never failing.

The perennial existence of bodies corporate. --Burke.

3. (Bot.) Continuing more than two years; as, a perennial steam, or root, or plant.

Syn: Perpetual; unceasing; never failing; enduring; continual; permanent; uninterrupted.

Perennial

Per*en"ni*al\, n. (Bot.) A perennial plant; a plant which lives or continues more than two years, whether it retains its leaves in winter or not.
Language Translation for : perennial
Spanish: perenne; eterno, perpetuo,
German: winterharte Pflanzen, winterhart,
Japanese: 多年生の

perennial 
1644, "evergreen," formed in Eng. from L. perennis "lasting through the year (or years)," from per- "through" + annus "year" (see annual). Botanical sense of "Remaining alive through a number of years" is attested from 1672; fig. meaning of "enduring, permanent" is from 1750.
perennial   (pə-rěn'ē-əl)  Pronunciation Key 
Adjective   Living for three or more years.

Noun   A perennial plant. Herbaceous perennials survive winter and drought as underground roots, rhizomes, bulbs, corms, or tubers. Woody perennials, including vines, shrubs, and trees, usually stop growing during winter and drought. Asters, irises, tulips, and peonies are familiar garden perennials. Compare annual, biennial.
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