ivy

UK: /ˈaɪvi/ US: /ˈaɪvi/ ,(ī′vē)

Inflections of 'ivy' (n): npl: ivies

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

i•vy /ˈaɪvi/   n., pl. i•vies. 

1. a climbing vine of the ginseng family, from Eurasia and N Africa, having smooth, shiny evergreen leaves:
   [uncountable] beautiful ivy growing up the sides of the building. [countable] replanting a few ivies.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

i•vy  (ī′vē), n., pl. i•vies, adj. 
n. 

1. Plant Biology Also called English ivy. a climbing vine, Hedera helix, having smooth, shiny, evergreen leaves, small, yellowish flowers, and black berries, grown as an ornamental.
2. Plant Biology any of various other climbing or trailing plants.—adj. 
3. Education (often cap.) See Ivy League (def. 2).
4. Dialect Terms [New England.] See mountain laurel. 

• bef. 900; Middle English ivi; Old English ifig; akin to German Efeu

i′vy•like′, adj. 

I•vy  (ī′vē), n. 

1. a female given name.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ivy / ˈaɪvɪ/ noun (ivies)

1. any woody climbing or trailing araliaceous plant of the Old World genus Hedera, esp H. helix, having lobed evergreen leaves and black berry-like fruits
2. any of various other climbing or creeping plants, such as Boston ivy, poison ivy, and ground ivy

Etymology: Old English īfig; related to Old High German ebah, perhaps to Greek iphuon a plant

ˈivy-ˌlike adjective