evergreen

1 of 2

adjective

ev·​er·​green ˈe-vər-ˌgrēn How to pronounce evergreen (audio)
1
: having foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season compare deciduous sense 1
2
a
: retaining freshness or interest : perennial
b
: universally and continually relevant : not limited in applicability to a particular event or date
This morning writer Erin Gloria Ryan tweeted, "It has not been a good 24 hours for masculinity." It's a sort of evergreen tweet that might be true at most times over the last several thousand years.—James Hamblin
He'll spend a good chunk of the special talking about his family, and some time discussing politics, too, though he has been admonished to stay close to "evergreen" material for re-runs.—Michael. K. MacIntyre

evergreen

2 of 2

noun

plural evergreens
1
: a plant having foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season
If temperatures are above 40 degrees, spray broadleaf evergreens with an antidesiccant to ward off winter dehydration and windburn.—Jessica Damiano
especially : an evergreen conifer
Evergreens, on the other hand, endure winter's ice with hard, tough-skinned needles that continue food production throughout the seasons. —Richard Wolkomir
2
plural : twigs and branches of evergreen plants used for decoration
3
: something that retains its freshness, interest, or popularity

Did you know?

Which adjective do you think has existed longer in English, evergreen or perennial? If you count the hyphenated form ever-green (which of course means "always green"), then evergreen is older; its earliest known use dates from the 16th century. The hyphen-free form is first seen in writing from the 17th century as an adjective as well as a noun, meaning "conifer." The earliest known use of perennial as an adjective meaning "remaining green all year long" appears in the first half of the 17th century. Evergreen also wins in the more general "long lasting" sense. It began appearing in figurative use circa mid-17th century, whereas perennial began to be used with that "enduring" meaning in the early 18th.

Examples of evergreen in a Sentence

Adjective Most pines are evergreen trees.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Take ashwagandha, an evergreen shrub indigenous to tropical areas in Asia and Africa. —Jessie Van Amburg, SELF, 29 Oct. 2024 The realistic-looking garland resembles evergreen pine needles with snowberry cluster accents. —Maggie Horton, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
An important part of Indigenous spirituality and identity, the aromatic evergreen shrub is being threatened by poachers and over-commercialization. —JSTOR Daily, 22 Nov. 2024 The supplements are aimed at alleviating everyday stress, anxiety and insomnia, using ingredients common in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine such as ashwagandha, an evergreen shrub; schisandra, a fruit-bearing vine, and bacopa, or water hyssop. —Samantha Conti, WWD, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for evergreen 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of evergreen was in 1579

Phrases Containing evergreen

Dictionary Entries Near evergreen

everglades kite

evergreen

evergreen beech

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Evergreen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evergreen. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

evergreen

1 of 2 adjective
ev·​er·​green ˈev-ər-ˌgrēn How to pronounce evergreen (audio)
: having leaves that remain green and functional through more than one growing season
most conifers are evergreen trees
compare deciduous

evergreen

2 of 2 noun
1
: an evergreen plant
also : conifer
2
plural : twigs and branches of evergreen plants used for decoration

More from Merriam-Webster on evergreen

Nglish: Translation of evergreen for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about evergreen

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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