perennial

pe·ren·ni·al

adjective \pə-ˈre-nē-əl\

Definition of PERENNIAL

1

: present at all seasons of the year

2

: persisting for several years usually with new herbaceous growth from a perennating part <perennial asters>

3

a : persistent, enduring <perennial favorites>

b : continuing without interruption : constant, perpetual <the perennial quest for certainty> <a perennial student>

c : regularly repeated or renewed : recurrent <death is a perennial literary theme>

— perennial noun

— pe·ren·ni·al·ly \-nē-ə-lē\ adverb

Examples of PERENNIAL

1. This variety of oregano is perennial.
2. Flooding is a perennial problem for people living by the river.
3. The problem … is inherent and perennial in any democracy, but it has been more severe in ours during the past quarter-century because of the near universal denigration of government, politics and politicians. —Michael Kinsley, Time, 29 Oct. 2001
4. … scientists are warning that a perennial viral threat, the upcoming flu season, could be far more dangerous than usual—more evidence that these tiny foes are responsible for a large share of human suffering. —Claudia Wallis, Time, 3 Nov. 1986
5. The issue between science and art is of perennial interest to me, since I started off in science in college, in medicine, was headed for psychiatry, and ended up writing novels … —Walker Percy, “The State Of The Novel,” 1977, in Signposts in a Strange Land, 1991

Origin of PERENNIAL

Latin perennis, from per- throughout + annus year — more at per-, annual

First Known Use: 1644

Related to PERENNIAL

Synonyms

ageless, continuing, dateless, enduring, eternal, everlasting, immortal, imperishable, lasting, ongoing, abiding, perpetual, timeless, undying

Related Words

ceaseless, endless, permanent; changeless, constant, stable, stationary, steady, unchanging, unvarying

Near Antonyms

antiquated, archaic, dated, obsolete, outdated, outmoded, out-of-date, outworn, passé

See Synonym Discussion at continual

Other Seed Plant Terms

aubergine, box, bramble, briar, composite, perpetual, pulse, trefoil

Rhymes with PERENNIAL

biennial, centennial, decennial, millennial, quadrennial, quinquennial, septennial, triennial, vicennial

pe·ren·ni·al

adjective \pə-ˈren-ē-əl\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of PERENNIAL

: present at all seasons of the year <perennial rhinitis>

perennial

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any plant that persists for several years, usually with new herbaceous growth from a part that survives from season to season. Trees and shrubs are perennial, as are some herbaceous flowers and vegetative ground covers. Perennials have only a limited flowering period, but, with maintenance throughout the growing season, they provide a leafy presence and shape to the garden landscape. Popular flowering perennials include bellflowers, chrysanthemums, columbines, larkspurs, hollyhocks, phlox, pinks, poppies, and primroses. See also annual, biennial.