evergreen

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adjective

ev·er·green ˈe-vər-ˌgrēn

: having foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season compare deciduous sense 1

: retaining freshness or interest : perennial

: universally and continually relevant : not limited in applicability to a particular event or date

This morning writer Erin Gloria Ryan tweeted, "It has not been a good 24 hours for masculinity." It's a sort of evergreen tweet that might be true at most times over the last several thousand years.—

James Hamblin

He'll spend a good chunk of the special talking about his family, and some time discussing politics, too, though he has been admonished to stay close to "evergreen" material for re-runs.—

Michael. K. MacIntyre

evergreen

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noun

plural evergreens

: a plant having foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season

If temperatures are above 40 degrees, spray broadleaf evergreens with an antidesiccant to ward off winter dehydration and windburn.—

Jessica Damiano

especially : an evergreen conifer

Evergreens, on the other hand, endure winter's ice with hard, tough-skinned needles that continue food production throughout the seasons. —

Richard Wolkomir

plural : twigs and branches of evergreen plants used for decoration

: something that retains its freshness, interest, or popularity

Did you know?

Which adjective do you think has existed longer in English, evergreen or perennial? If you count the hyphenated form ever-green (which of course means "always green"), then evergreen is older; its earliest known use dates from the 16th century. The hyphen-free form is first seen in writing from the 17th century as an adjective as well as a noun, meaning "conifer." The earliest known use of perennial as an adjective meaning "remaining green all year long" appears in the first half of the 17th century. Evergreen also wins in the more general "long lasting" sense. It began appearing in figurative use circa mid-17th century, whereas perennial began to be used with that "enduring" meaning in the early 18th.

Examples of evergreen in a Sentence

Adjective Most pines are evergreen trees.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Luckily, vexations are evergreen if given half a chance, and, at least on Broadway, are assuageable. —

Jesse Green, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023 Six modern, evergreen colors are available, as well as some limited edition ones. —

Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2023 As noted by Billboard’s Elias Leight, music can be especially evergreen as streaming and social media have put songs from earlier eras on a fairly even playing field with newer releases. —

Gary Trust, Billboard, 25 Oct. 2023 This upright, evergreen shrub grows in dense stands of cane-like stems everywhere. —

Steve Bender, Southern Living, 19 Oct. 2023 But concerns about taxes and economic burdens in general are evergreen political issues. —

Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Oct. 2023 To recreate this look, wind a clementine garland around an evergreen boxwood shrub and fill in under it with Granny Smith apples. —

Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2023 This drought-tolerant evergreen shrub produces tall, spiky purple flowers. —

Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2023 Myth: Wildfire smoke contains natural compounds found in evergreen roots which, when inhaled, can improve the body’s oxygen absorption. —

Jay Katsir, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023

Noun

Start with an evergreen base and add ornaments and accents in non-traditional colors. —

Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Nov. 2023 The simple, iridescent jar blends seamlessly into anyone’s home while notes of evergreen, crisp apple and winterberry gently fill the space. —

People Staff, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023 Infusing the air with the cozy scents of citrus and evergreen, this snowglobe brings a touch of Christmas cheer inside their home. —

Jamie Fischer, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023 Popular gifts for teens vary based on the year and season, but there are a few evergreen staples that tend to make the cut. —

Casey Clark, Parents, 17 Nov. 2023 Expect to see snow-laden evergreen trees, frozen rivers, and even the Northern Lights, all rushing past your window. —

Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Oct. 2023 By 2021, when the Northwest suffered through a shocking heat wave that melted infrastructure, killed hundreds of people and scorched millions of evergreen trees, the symbol of the region’s now-fragile lushness, his practice had shifted to reflect a new reality of climate psychology. —

Brooke Jarvis, New York Times, 21 Oct. 2023 Tuck pinecones into lush greenery like eucalyptus and evergreen branches for a door decoration that adds major holiday curb appeal. —

Kaylei Fear, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Nov. 2023 Each piece comes in a dark evergreen with little Santa faces and candy canes all over them. —

Jessica Booth, Parents, 14 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'evergreen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.