Leaf
/liːf/
Definitions
3 meaningsA flattened structure of a plant, typically green, attached to a stem or branch.
/liːf/
A flattened structure of a plant.
The wind blew the leaves from the trees.
💡 Simply: It's like the flat, green part of a tree that helps it breathe and make food. Imagine a kid pointing at a tree and saying, "Look at the leaves!"
👶 For kids: The green part of a tree that can be flat, round, or all sorts of shapes!
More Examples
The leaves on the maple tree are turning red.
He picked up a fallen leaf from the ground.
How It's Used
"The oak tree's leaves turned red in the fall."
"A single leaf fell from the branch."
A single sheet of paper or similar material, typically in a book or document.
/liːf/
A sheet of paper.
He carefully turned the leaf of the ancient manuscript.
💡 Simply: Think of a single page in a book or a notebook. When you're reading a book, you 'turn the leaves' to see the next page. It's like opening a notebook to write on a fresh leaf of paper!
👶 For kids: A single page from a book!
More Examples
She wrote her notes on a fresh leaf.
The book was missing several leaves.
How It's Used
"The printer jammed and printed only a few leaves of the document."
"She turned the leaves of the old book."
To put forth leaves; to produce foliage.
/liːf/
To produce leaves.
The trees are just starting to leaf out.
💡 Simply: Imagine a tree growing new leaves in springtime. It's like saying the tree is 'leafing' - making lots of new leaves! It's like watching a plant stretch out and put on new clothes!
👶 For kids: When a tree grows new leaves!
More Examples
After the rain, the branches began to leaf.
How It's Used
"The tree will leaf again in the spring."
"The tree began to leaf again."
Idioms & expressions
turn over a new leaf
To make a fresh start, to begin again; to improve one's behavior.
"After getting fired, he decided to turn over a new leaf and find a better job."
take a leaf out of someone's book
To imitate someone else's actions or behaviour.
"I'm going to take a leaf out of her book and start being more organized."
From Old English *lēaf*, from Proto-Germanic *laubą* (compare German *Laub*). Cognate with Latin *folium* (leaf).
The word 'leaf' has been used in English since the Old English period, referring primarily to the foliage of plants, but also, since the late 14th century, a page in a book or manuscript.