noun
Common
ivy
EYE-vee
Ivy (noun) means a climbing or trailing evergreen plant (genus Hedera) that clings to walls, trees, and fences. Example: “Ivy had crept up the entire side of the old brick house.”
noun
1
A climbing or trailing evergreen plant (genus Hedera) that clings to walls, trees, and fences.
"Ivy had crept up the entire side of the old brick house."
"They planted ivy along the fence to hide the chain-link."
"Green ivy covered the church wall, hiding most of the old stone."
2
Informal: a member of the Ivy League, a group of prestigious old US universities.
"She turned down an Ivy for a smaller liberal-arts college."
"Her parents hoped she would get into an Ivy, but she chose a local college."
"He is the first person in his family to go to an Ivy."
How to use ivy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe climbing evergreen vine you see covering old walls and trees, or (informally) an Ivy League school.
Common pairings
poison ivy
ivy-covered
creeping ivy
the Ivy League
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Word forms
- Plural
- ivies
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_____ had crept up the entire side of the old brick house.
Etymology
From Old English "īfig", an ancient Germanic plant name going back to a very old Indo-European root — the plant itself has been climbing walls in English for well over a thousand years.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for ivy
See all rhymes for ivy →Frequently asked questions
What does “ivy” mean?
The word “ivy” means a climbing or trailing evergreen plant (genus Hedera) that clings to walls, trees, and fences. In plain terms, the climbing evergreen vine you see covering old walls and trees, or (informally) an Ivy League school.
How do you pronounce “ivy”?
“Ivy” is pronounced EYE-vee (/ˈaɪvi/ in IPA).
How do you use “ivy” in a sentence?
Here is “ivy” used in a sentence: “Ivy had crept up the entire side of the old brick house.”
What part of speech is “ivy”?
“Ivy” is a noun.
Where does the word “ivy” come from?
The word “ivy” comes from Old English. From Old English "īfig", an ancient Germanic plant name going back to a very old Indo-European root — the plant itself has been climbing walls in English for well over a thousand years.
Is “ivy” a common word?
“Ivy” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “ivy” have?
“Ivy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a climbing or trailing evergreen plant (genus Hedera) that clings to walls, trees, and fences.
What is the difference between ivy and Ivy League?
Ivy is the climbing evergreen plant of the genus Hedera that grows on walls, trees, and fences. Ivy League is an informal noun referring to a member of one of the prestigious old US universities traditionally covered in ivy-clad buildings, and the term likely borrows its name from the plant.
Is ivy poisonous to touch?
Common English ivy (Hedera helix) can cause skin irritation or an allergic rash in some people through contact with its sap, and its berries are mildly toxic if eaten. It should not be confused with poison ivy, which is a different plant entirely despite the shared name.
Does ivy damage the walls it climbs?
Ivy clings to surfaces using small aerial rootlets, and on sound brick or stone it generally causes little harm, but on walls with existing cracks or loose mortar it can work its way in and cause damage over time. It can also block gutters and trap moisture against woodwork.
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