foliage

/ˈfəʊliɪdʒ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfəʊliɪdʒ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfō-lē-ij also -lyij; nonstandard ˈfō-lij nonstandard ˈfȯi-lij/ (ame, mw)

foliage — noun

1. the green leaves that grow on trees, bushes, and other plants, considered togeth

1.名詞B1
釋義

the green leaves that grow on trees, bushes, and other plants, considered together as a group.

例句

Zara watched the autumn foliage drift down from the tall oak tree.

autumn foliage — leaves in fall colours

The thick foliage of the rainforest blocked most of the sunlight.

thick foliage — dense leaf cover

同義詞
  • leaves

    everyday word; foliage is more formal and collective

  • greenery

    focuses on greenness and lushness; less precise botanically

  • vegetation

    broader — includes all plant life, not just leaves

用法筆記

Foliage is an uncountable noun — you cannot say 'a foliage' or 'foliages'. Instead, refer to 'a leaf' for a single unit.

常見錯誤

❌The tree has beautiful foliages in spring.
✅The tree has beautiful foliage in spring.
💡foliage is uncountable and has no plural form.

2. a carved, painted, or moulded design of leaves, flowers, and branches used as de

2.名詞C1
釋義

a carved, painted, or moulded design of leaves, flowers, and branches used as decoration on buildings and other structures.

例句

The old church had beautiful stone foliage carved around its main doorway.

stone foliage — carved leaf ornament in architecture

Boris studied the gold-painted foliage on the columns of the temple.

同義詞
  • ornamentation

    broader — any decorative detail, not only leaf-shaped

  • leafwork

    more specific term for leaf-shaped ornaments in architecture

  • filigree

    different technique — delicate metalwork, not necessarily leaf-shaped

用法筆記

This sense is specific to architecture and decorative arts. It refers to an artistic representation of plant forms, not real leaves.

常見錯誤

❌The foliage on that building is very green and healthy.
✅The carved foliage on that building looks very realistic.
💡architectural foliage is an artistic decoration, not a living plant.