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.