perennial

UK: /pəˈrɛniəl/ US: /pəˈrɛniəl/ ,(pə ren′ē əl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

per•en•ni•al /pəˈrɛniəl/   adj. 

1. lasting for an indefinitely long time:
   the perennial problems of the American economy: inflation and unemployment.
2. Botany (of plants) having a life cycle of more than two years.

n. [countable]

3. Botany a perennial plant.

per•en•ni•al•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

per•en•ni•al  (pə ren′ē əl), adj. 

1. lasting for an indefinitely long time;
   enduring:
   her perennial beauty.
2. Botany (of plants) having a life cycle lasting more than two years.
3. lasting or continuing throughout the entire year, as a stream.
4. perpetual;
   everlasting;
   continuing;
   recurrent.

n. 

5. Botany a perennial plant:
   Daffodils and tulips are perennials.
6. something that is continuing or recurrent.

• Latin perenni(s) lasting the whole year through (per- per- + -enn-, combining form of annus year + -is adjective, adjectival suffix) + -al¹
• 1635–45

per•en′ni•al′i•ty, n. 
per•en′ni•al•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. perdurable; constant, incessant, continual.
• 4. imperishable, undying, eternal, immortal.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

perennial / pəˈrɛnɪəl/ adjective

1. lasting throughout the year or through many years
2. everlasting; perpetual

noun

1. a woody or herbaceous plant that can continue its growth for at least two years
   Compare annual3, biennial3

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin perennis continual, from per through + annus year

perˈennially adverb