variants or deleaf
de-leafed or deleafed; de-leafing or deleafing; de-leafs or deleafs

transitive + intransitive

: to remove leaves from (a plant)
Every afternoon, farmers walk down from the encircling hills with bundles of sprigs, deleafed and wrapped in banana leaves to conserve moisture on the all-night drive to Nairobi …Michael Griffin
They also train the vine canopy higher, which increases water evaporation from the leaves, and de-leaf more, hoping to increase airflow and prevent disease.Mitch Frank

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of de-leaf was in 1922

Dictionary Entries Near de-leaf

Cite this Entry

“De-leaf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/de-leaf. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.

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