LEAF (leaves)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: leaves   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does leaf mean? 

• LEAF (noun)
  The noun LEAF has 3 senses:

1. the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants

2. a sheet of any written or printed material (especially in a manuscript or book)

3. hinged or detachable flat section (as of a table or door)

  Familiarity information: LEAF used as a noun is uncommon.

• LEAF (verb)
  The verb LEAF has 3 senses:

1. look through a book or other written material

2. turn over pages

3. produce leaves, of plants

  Familiarity information: LEAF used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LEAF (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

foliage; leaf; leafage

Hypernyms ("leaf" is a kind of...):

plant organ (a functional and structural unit of a plant or fungus)

Meronyms (parts of "leaf"):

lobe ((botany) a part into which a leaf is divided)

venation ((botany) the arrangement of veins in a leaf)

leaf form; leaf shape (any of the various shape that leaves of plants can assume)

Meronyms (substance of "leaf"):

parenchyma (the primary tissue of higher plants composed of thin-walled cells that remain capable of cell division even when mature; constitutes the greater part of leaves, roots, the pulp of fruits, and the pith of stems)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leaf"):

simple leaf (a leaf that is not divided into parts)

rosette (a cluster of leaves growing in crowded circles from a common center or crown (usually at or close to the ground))

compound leaf (a leaf composed of a number of leaflets on a common stalk)

entire leaf (a leaf having a smooth margin without notches or indentations)

crenate leaf (a leaf having a scalloped margin)

serrate leaf (a leaf having a margin notched like a saw with teeth pointing toward the apex)

dentate leaf (a leaf having a toothed margin)

emarginate leaf (a leaf having a notch at the apex)

erose leaf (a leaf having a jagged margin as though gnawed)

runcinate leaf (a leaf having incised margins with the lobes or teeth curved toward the base; as a dandelion leaf)

lobed leaf (a leaf having deeply indented margins)

parallel-veined leaf (a leaf whose veins run in parallel from the stem)

parted leaf (a leaf having margins incised almost to the base so as to create distinct divisions or lobes)

prickly-edged leaf (a leaf having prickly margins)

fig leaf (a leaf from a fig tree)

betel; betel leaf (a leaf of a vine from the betel pepper)

scale; scale leaf (a specialized leaf or bract that protects a bud or catkin)

pad (the large floating leaf of an aquatic plant (as the water lily))

frond (compound leaf of a fern or palm or cycad)

leaflet (part of a compound leaf)

greenery; verdure (green foliage)

amplexicaul leaf (a leaf with its base clasping the stem)

blade; leaf blade (especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole)

sporophyl; sporophyll (leaf in ferns and mosses that bears the sporangia)

pitcher ((botany) a leaf that that is modified in such a way as to resemble a pitcher or ewer)

dandelion green (the foliage of the dandelion plant)

floral leaf (a modified leaf that is part of a flower)

cataphyll (a reduced or scarcely developed leaf at the start of a plant's life (i.e., cotyledons) or in the early stages of leaf development)

Derivation:

leaf (produce leaves, of plants)

leaflet (part of a compound leaf)

leafy (having or covered with leaves)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A sheet of any written or printed material (especially in a manuscript or book)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

folio; leaf

Hypernyms ("leaf" is a kind of...):

piece of paper; sheet; sheet of paper (paper used for writing or printing)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leaf"):

flyleaf (a blank leaf in the front or back of a book)

interleaf (a blank leaf inserted between the leaves of a book)

page (one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains)

Holonyms ("leaf" is a part of...):

black and white; written communication; written language (communication by means of written symbols (either printed or handwritten))

Derivation:

leaf (turn over pages)

leaf (look through a book or other written material)

leaflet (a small book usually having a paper cover)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Hinged or detachable flat section (as of a table or door)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("leaf" is a kind of...):

section; segment (one of several parts or pieces that fit with others to constitute a whole object)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leaf"):

drop-leaf (a hinged leaf on a table that can be raised and supported by a bracket)

Holonyms ("leaf" is a part of...):

dinner table (the dining table where dinner is served and eaten)

Derivation:

leaflet (a thin triangular flap of a heart valve)

• LEAF (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they leaf    ... he / she / it leafs   
Past simple: leafed   
Past participle: leafed   
-ing form: leafing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Look through a book or other written material

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

flick; flip; leaf; riff; riffle; thumb

Context example:

She leafed through the volume

Hypernyms (to "leaf" is one way to...):

peruse (examine or consider with attention and in detail)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

leaf (a sheet of any written or printed material (especially in a manuscript or book))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Turn over pages

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

leaf a manuscript

Hypernyms (to "leaf" is one way to...):

turn; turn over (cause to move around a center so as to show another side of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

leaf (a sheet of any written or printed material (especially in a manuscript or book))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Produce leaves, of plants

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "leaf" is one way to...):

acquire; develop; get; grow; produce (come to have or undergo a change of (physical features and attributes))

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

leaf; leafage (the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants)

 Context examples 

They had gone rustling away as if their little dresses were made of autumn-leaves: and they came rustling back, in like manner.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

An Indian cigarette consisting of tobacco wrapped in a tendu leaf.

(Bidi, NCI Thesaurus)

Eating toxic mushrooms causes more than 100 deaths a year, globally, and leaves thousands of people in need of urgent medical assistance.

(New Test Identifies Poisonous Mushrooms, Agricultural Research Service)

A disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found in the part of the urethra (the tube through which urine leaves the body) that is closest to the outside of the body.

(Anterior urethral cancer, NCI Dictionary)

Also is tobacco of value. It is of very great value. The Indian gives one large salmon for one leaf of tobacco, and he chews the tobacco for a long time.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Unhappily there are not many to learn, as the only train to-morrow leaves as I say.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The expanded, thin structure on either side of the midrib of a leaf.

(Blade, Food and Drug Administration)

A plant whose leaves, stems, and flowers have been used in some cultures to treat certain medical problems.

(Blessed thistle, NCI Dictionary)

An extract from the fruit is being studied as a treatment for cancer, and extracts from the fruit, leaves, or roots have been used in some cultures to treat other diseases.

(Morinda citrifolia, NCI Dictionary)

A diterpene taxane obtained from the bark and leaves of the yew tree (Taxus brevifolia) and can convert to taxol.

(Cephalomannine, NCI Thesaurus)