ivy

i-vy · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A woody evergreen climbing plant with shiny, dark green five-pointed leaves.

  2. 2.

    (In compounds) Used to refer to elite academic institutions, especially in the United States.

Forms

plural: ivies

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    Ivy League — a group of eight prestigious universities in the northeastern United States
  • •
    poison ivy — a North American plant that causes an itchy rash

Related words

See also: creeper, plant, vine
Synonyms: creeper, vine

Etymology

From Old English ifig, from Proto-Germanic ibahaz. The plant has been symbolically associated with fidelity and eternity since ancient times.