ivy

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noun \ ˈī-vē \

Definition of ivy

plural ivies

1 :a widely cultivated ornamental climbing or prostrate or sometimes shrubby chiefly Eurasian vine (Hedera helix) of the ginseng family with evergreen leaves, small yellowish flowers, and black berries

2 :any of several climbing plants (such as Virginia creeper) resembling ivy; especially :poison ivy

3 often capitalized :an Ivy League college

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Recent Examples of ivy from the Web

Today, no ivy is evident, nor is there a swimming pool, and the plot is 5.3 acres.

— matt gross, Bloomberg.com, "The Great Gatsby's Long Island Mansion Listed for $17 Million," 25 Aug. 2017
And then there’s the argument that affirmative action may help balance out the admissions advantages afforded to legacy students, the majority of whom at prestigious Ivies are white.

— emma sarran webster, Teen Vogue, "Affirmative Action: What It Is and How it Works," 14 Aug. 2017
Popular varieties like daffodil, iris, lily-of-the-valley, ivy, and even mistletoe are poisonous when consumed, according to the National Capital Poison Center.

— beth anne macaluso, Redbook, "16 Common Household Items That Could Kill You," 9 Aug. 2017
This is the time of year when wild parsnip, giant hogweed and poison ivy bloom.

— donna vickroy, Daily Southtown, "Column: Don't let wild parsnip, giant hogweed, poison ivy wreck your summer," 28 July 2017
The Cubs really traded the Sox four minor-league players, including top prospects Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease, for pitcher Jose Quintana, who will fit in at Wrigley Field as seamlessly as another patch of ivy.

— david haugh, chicagotribune.com, "Blockbuster trade injects new energy into Chicago baseball," 17 July 2017
Morrison pulled out a tube of Tecnu, a treatment for poison ivy, which anyone could use.

— debbi snook, cleveland.com, "Hiking the Appalachian Trail: Even 8 miles enough to inspire (photos, videos)," 5 July 2017
But most looked astonishingly fit, with veins climbing their arms like ivy.

— jon wertheim, SI.com, "The after-party: Inside the life of the modern professional athlete in retirement," 3 July 2017
For Diana and Kate, this meant ivy, which represents fidelity, friendship and affection.

— lauren smith, House Beautiful, "5 Things All Royal Wedding Bouquets Have in Common," 26 June 2017

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