: a widely cultivated ornamental climbing or prostrate or sometimes shrubby chiefly Eurasian vine (Hedera helix) of the ginseng family with evergreen leaves, small yellowish flowers, and black berries
2
: any of several climbing plants (such as Virginia creeper) resembling ivy
The 20-inch design has a hook on the back for easy hanging and is packed with faux wildflowers in shades of pink, purple, yellow, and blue as well as whimsical ivy and ferns.—Bridget Degnan, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2024 The dining room exudes elegance with dark wood and leather, original terrazzo floors, brass fixtures, and terracotta planters filled with ivy cascading down walls.—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2024
Adjective
The actress, who's known for being something of an amateur equestrian, appears to be bending over to give her horse Ivy water through a tiny straw.—Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, 21 June 2017 See all Example Sentences for ivy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ivy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Old English īfig; akin to Old High German ebah ivy
Adjective
from the prevalence of ivy-covered buildings on the campuses of older U.S. colleges
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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