Leaf

/liːf/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A leaf is a flattened structure of a plant that is typically green and is responsible for photosynthesis.

The tree's vibrant green leaves shimmered in the sunlight.

A leaf is also a part of a book or magazine, referring to a single sheet of paper.

She turned the leaf to find the next chapter of her novel.

In the context of paper, a leaf is one page of a book or a single sheet in a collection of sheets.

The artist chose to create a collage from various leaves of old magazines.

verb

To leaf means to turn over the pages of a book quickly.

He began to leaf through the magazine to find the article he liked.

To leaf can also mean to produce leaves or foliage.

The garden will leaf beautifully in the spring.

Old English 'lēaf', from Proto-West Germanic 'lewa', akin to Dutch 'loof' and German 'Laub'.

turn over a new leaf

to change one's ways and start fresh.

leaf through

to quickly look through a book or magazine.

to be in the leaf

to be abundant or flourishing.

to take a leaf out of someone's book

to imitate someone else's actions or behavior.

foliage

The leaves of a plant, collectively.

petiole

The stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the stem.

chlorophyll

The green pigment found in the chloroplasts of plants, crucial for photosynthesis.

A term used for marijuana, particularly when prepared for smoking.

He rolled a joint with some fresh leaf.

Used informally to refer to getting away or escaping.

They decided to leaf for the weekend and head to the beach.