perennial
The definition of a perennial person or thing is when they exist or are active for a whole year or a long time.
(adjective)An example of perennial is a person who has lived for a long time.
The definition of a perennial is something that is always present, often referring to plants.
(noun)An example of a perennial is a plant that regrows each year in the spring.
See perennial in Webster's New World College Dictionary
adjective
- lasting or active throughout the whole year
- lasting or continuing for a long time: perennial youth
- returning or becoming active again and again; perpetual
- having a life cycle of more than two years: said esp. of herbaceous plants that produce flowers and seed from the same root structure year after year
Origin: < L perennis, lasting through the year < per-, through + annus, a year: see per & annual
noun
- a perennial plant
- a person or thing that is present continuously or reappears regularly
Related Forms:
- perennially adverb
See perennial in American Heritage Dictionary 4
adjective
- Lasting or active through the year or through many years.
- a. Lasting an indefinitely long time; enduring: perennial happiness.b. Appearing again and again; recurrent. See Synonyms at continual.
- Botany Living three or more years.
- Botany A perennial plant.
- Something that recurs or seems to recur on a yearly or continual basis: “that hardy perennial, the budget deficit” (David S. Broder).
Origin:
Origin: Latin perennis (per-, throughout; see per- + annus, year; see at- in Indo-European roots)
Origin: + -al1
.Related Forms:
- per·enˈni·al·ly adverb
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