noun
bonsai
BON-seye
Bonsai (noun) means a miniature tree grown and shaped in a small pot through careful pruning and root control. Example: “He spent thirty years training that bonsai into its current shape.”
noun
1
A miniature tree grown and shaped in a small pot through careful pruning and root control.
"He spent thirty years training that bonsai into its current shape."
2
The traditional art of cultivating such miniature trees.
"She took a weekend class to learn the basics of bonsai."
How to use bonsai
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe Japanese art of growing miniature, carefully shaped trees in pots.
Common pairings
bonsai tree
grow a bonsai
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Word forms
- Plural
- bonsais
- Third person singular
- bonsais
- Past tense
- bonsaied
Fill the gap
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He spent thirty years training that _____ into its current shape.
Etymology
From Japanese bonsai, combining characters meaning "tray" and "to plant."
Rhymes for bonsai
See all rhymes for bonsai →Frequently asked questions
What does “bonsai” mean?
The word “bonsai” means a miniature tree grown and shaped in a small pot through careful pruning and root control. In plain terms, the Japanese art of growing miniature, carefully shaped trees in pots.
How do you pronounce “bonsai”?
“Bonsai” is pronounced BON-seye (/ˈbɑnsaɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “bonsai” in a sentence?
Here is “bonsai” used in a sentence: “He spent thirty years training that bonsai into its current shape.”
What part of speech is “bonsai”?
“Bonsai” is a noun.
Where does the word “bonsai” come from?
The word “bonsai” comes from Japanese. From Japanese bonsai, combining characters meaning "tray" and "to plant.".
How many meanings does “bonsai” have?
“Bonsai” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a miniature tree grown and shaped in a small pot through careful pruning and root control.
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