Definition

A type of plant that retains some leaves during winter or dry seasons, but may lose them in colder or harsher conditions.

Example

The semievergreen trees in the garden provide some shade even in winter.

Conversation

Have you seen the new plants I bought for my garden?

Yeah, they look great! Are they semievergreen?

I think so; they’ll keep some leaves even in winter.

That’s perfect! I love plants that can survive the colder months.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Semievergreen → It is formed from "semi-" (meaning half) and "evergreen" (from Old English *efergrene*, meaning always green). The word "semievergreen" refers to plants that retain some green foliage throughout the year but do not remain fully green all the time.

Memory Tip

Think of 'half' ('semi-') and 'always green' ('evergreen') to remember that 'semievergreen' describes plants that are partially green throughout the year.

Visually Confused Words