bonsai

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noun bon·sai \ (ˌ)bōn-ˈsī , ˈbōn-ˌ , ˈbän-ˌ also ˈbän-ˌzī \

Definition of bonsai

plural bonsai

:a potted plant (such as a tree) dwarfed (as by pruning) and trained to an artistic shape; also :the art of growing such a plant

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Recent Examples of bonsai from the Web

In between are bundles of dwarf conifers and petite perennial shrubs, and dozens of bonsai on display.

— roxanne washington, cleveland.com, "Cool Spaces: Euclid Japanese Maple gardener hosts tours at her home (photos and video)," 23 Aug. 2017
About a half-hour drive from there, the couple owns a four-story mansion surrounded by a koi pond, bonsai trees, and at least seven security cameras.

— Bloomberg.com, "A Baccarat Binge Helped Launder the World’s Biggest Cyberheist," 3 Aug. 2017
About a half-hour drive from there, the couple owns a four-story mansion surrounded by a koi pond, bonsai trees, and at least seven security cameras.

— jaclyn gallucci, Fortune, "How the World’s Biggest Cyberheist Was Laundered by a Baccarat Binge," 3 Aug. 2017
The thing came out looking like a bonsai tree covered in acid rain.

— courtland milloy, Washington Post, "We may not like our veggies. But with rollbacks to health care, they’ve never been more important.," 27 June 2017
So instead of throwing your ex's bonsai tree out the window, maybe start by throwing yourself into new activities.

— kate friedman, Glamour, "8 Unconventional—And Brilliant—Ideas for Getting Over a Breakup," 1 June 2017
That vision is articulated by the character Chen Yanshi, a respected party elder who turns away exotic gifts that are sent to his home — 35 birds, 43 bouquets and 16 bonsai trees.

— javier c. hernÁndez, New York Times, "Greed, Injustice and Decadence: What 5 Scenes From a Hit TV Show Say About China," 27 May 2017
Choose from crafters peddling jewelry, art, glass, silk, pet accessories, candles, bonsai, iron work and driftwood sailboats from Art Sea.

— david sturm, Columbia Flier, "A silver anniversary for Wine in the Woods," 16 May 2017
Flower arrangements, bonsai trees, Kimekomi dolls and other art were also on display.

— queenie wong, The Mercury News, "Japanese American festival in San Jose celebrates its 40th anniversary," 23 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bonsai.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

This is a living dwarf tree. The word bonsai can also refer to the art of training and growing these dwarf plants in containers. Bonsai specimens are ordinary trees and shrubs, not hereditary dwarfs; they are dwarfed by a system of pruning roots and branches and training branches by tying them with wire. The art originated in China, but has been pursued and developed primarily by the Japanese. The inspiration for bonsai is found in nature, in trees that grow in harsh, rocky places, and are dwarfed and gnarled throughout their existence. Bonsai may live for a century or more and can be handed down from one generation to another. Bonsai pots, usually earthenware and of variable shape, are carefully chosen to harmonize in color and proportion with the tree. A sizable bonsai industry exists as part of the nursery industry in Japan. California is home to a small-scale bonsai industry.