ivy

noun \ ˈī-vē \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

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

The tradition dates back to the late 19th century and includes a stop at the campus’ oldest tree where students plant a pot of ivy.

— kathleen mcwilliams, Courant Community, "Miss Porter's Graduates Urged To Not Let Sexism Define Their Accomplishments," 1 June 2018
Green ivy now hangs from the ceiling, and what was once a black back wall is now covered with a whimsical pink, forest green, and teal vine wallpaper.

— jean trinh, Los Angeles Magazine, "What to Expect at Ma’am Sir, Silver Lake’s Newest Filipino Restaurant and Bar," 31 May 2018
Boston is picturesque in any season, so channel your inner photographer and capture the bean’s gorgeous ivy brownstones, brick architecture, and sprawling parks.

— jessi walker, Marie Claire, "Weekend Travel Guide: Where to Stay, Eat and Drink in Boston," 22 May 2018
Designed by florist Shane Connolly, the bouquet was almost entirely lily of the valley, and also included myrtle as well as sweet William, hyacinth and ivy.

— tamara abraham, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle's Royal Wedding Bouquet Is Surprisingly Similar to Kate's," 19 May 2018
John Patrick, 28, works the bar Mondays and Tuesdays, places orders and has begun to shadow his dad on managerial tasks; Ian, 26, makes warehouse trips and keeps the ivy outside from overtaking the place.

— emma silvers, San Francisco Chronicle, "The story of the Albany pub where time stands still," 16 May 2018
When his freshman year started last September, Anthony Scarpone-Lambert had a hard time seeing how working-class kids like him could find a place amid the brick and ivy of the University of Pennsylvania campus.

— alfred lubrano, Philly.com, "Penn first-generation students complete their first year wiser, stronger," 26 Apr. 2018
After touring the galleries (admission, 75 kroner), visit the excellent bookshop and cross the brick-and-ivy courtyard to peek inside the museum’s buzzy year-old cafe, Apollo Bar.

— New York Times, "36 Hours in Copenhagen," 26 Apr. 2018
Houseplants including aloe, chamomile, and many types of ivy.

— marygrace taylor, Good Housekeeping, "Exactly What To Do If Your Pet Eats Something Toxic," 7 Sep. 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.