canopy

1 of 2

noun

can·​o·​py ˈka-nə-pē 

plural canopies

1

a

: a cloth covering suspended over a bed

b

: a cover (as of cloth) fixed or carried above a person of high rank or a sacred object : baldachin

A canopy hung over the altar.

c

: a protective covering: such as

(1)

: the uppermost spreading branchy layer of a forest

(2)

: awning, marquee

A canopy was erected over the grandstand.

2

: an ornamental rooflike structure

3

a

: the transparent enclosure over an airplane cockpit

b

: the fabric part of a parachute that catches the air

canopy

2 of 2

verb

canopied; canopying

transitive verb

: to cover with or as if with a canopy

Tall trees canopied the island.

Synonyms

Noun

• roof
• tent

Examples of canopy in a Sentence

Noun

A canopy hung over the altar.

trees line both sides of the garden path, with their foliage forming a leafy canopy for walkers

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Certain regions of the city may also be more susceptible to extreme heat because of the urban heat island effect — when factors, including building materials and tree canopy cover, cause the environment to trap more heat. —William Tong, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025

By increasing the resolution and scale of their tree inventory, Bloomfield Public Works will be able to prioritize the location and species for new tree plantings to improve forest health and increase tree cover in low canopy neighborhoods. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025

Verb

Occasioning all this was her cherry tree, a monumental Kanzan that canopies roughly two-thirds of her Brooklyn backyard and part of the one next door. —Kholood Eid, New York Times, 2 May 2025

Sometimes the truck passed down shady streets canopied by fertile trees. —Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English canope, from Medieval Latin canopeum mosquito net, from Latin conopeum, from Greek kōnōpion, from kōnōps mosquito

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1594, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing canopy

• canopy bed

Kids Definition

canopy

1 of 2 noun

can·​o·​py ˈkan-ə-pē 

plural canopies

1

a

: a covering over a bed, throne, or shrine or carried on poles (as over a person of high rank)

b

: awning

2

: a shade or shelter that hangs over something

especially : the uppermost spreading layer of a forest

3

: the fabric part of a parachute that catches the air

canopy

2 of 2 verb

canopied; canopying

: to cover with or as if with a canopy