topiary

[ toh-pee-er-ee ]
/ ˈtoʊ piˌɛr i /
Horticulture

adjective

(of a plant) clipped or trimmed into fantastic shapes.
of or relating to such trimming.

noun, plural to·pi·ar·ies.

topiary work; the topiary art.
a garden containing such work.

Origin of topiary

1585–95; < Latin topiārius pertaining to landscape-gardening or to ornamental gardens, equivalent to topi(a) (plural) artificial landscape (< Greek tópia (singular topion), diminutive of tópos place) + -ārius -ary

Example sentences from the Web for topiary

British Dictionary definitions for topiary

topiary
/ (ˈtəʊpɪərɪ) /

adjective

of, relating to, or characterized by the trimming or training of trees or bushes into artificial decorative animal, geometric, or other shapes

noun

plural -aries
  1. topiary work
  2. a topiary garden
the art of topiary

Derived forms of topiary

topiarian (ˌtəʊpɪˈɛərɪən), adjective topiarist, noun

Word Origin for topiary

C16: from French topiaire, from Latin topia decorative garden work, from Greek topion little place, from topos place