foliage

Main Entry:: fo·liage
Pronunciation:: \ˈfō-lē-ij also -lyij; ÷ˈfō-lij, ÷ˈfȯi-lij\
Function:: noun
Etymology:: Middle French fuellage, from foille leaf — more at foil
Date:: 1598

1 : a representation of leaves, flowers, and branches for architectural ornamentation 2 : the aggregate of leaves of one or more plants 3 : a cluster of leaves, flowers, and branches

— fo·liaged

\-lē-ijd also -lyijd; ÷ˈfō-lijd, ÷ˈfȯi-\ adjective

usage The disyllabic pronunciation \\ˈfō-lij\\ is very common. Some commentators insist that foliage requires a trisyllabic pronunciation because of its spelling, but words of a similar pattern such as carriage and marriage do not fall under their prescription. The pronunciation \\ˈfȯi-lij\\ is disapproved because it suggests the transposition of the l and i in the spelling. It is not as common as \\ˈfō-lij\\ and may be associated with the nonstandard spelling foilage.

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