perennial

adjective

pe·ren·ni·al | \ pə-ˈre-nē-əl

Definition of perennial

1 : present at all seasons of the year

2 : persisting for several years usually with new herbaceous growth from a perennating part perennial asters

3a : persistent, enduring perennial favorites

b : continuing without interruption : constant, perpetual the perennial quest for certainty a perennial student

c : regularly repeated or renewed : recurrent death is a perennial literary theme

Other Words from perennial Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about perennial

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Choose the Right Synonym for perennial

continual, continuous, constant, incessant, perpetual, perennial mean characterized by continued occurrence or recurrence. continual often implies a close prolonged succession or recurrence. continual showers the whole weekend continuous usually implies an uninterrupted flow or spatial extension. football's oldest continuous rivalry constant implies uniform or persistent occurrence or recurrence. lived in constant pain incessant implies ceaseless or uninterrupted activity. annoyed by the incessant quarreling perpetual suggests unfailing repetition or lasting duration. a land of perpetual snowfall perennial implies enduring existence often through constant renewal. a perennial source of controversy

Did You Know?

Nowadays when we talk about "perennial plants," or simply "perennials" ("perennial" can be a noun, too), we mean plants that die back seasonally but produce new growth in the spring. But originally "perennial" was equivalent to "evergreen," used for plants that remain with us all year. We took this "throughout the year" sense straight from the Romans, whose Latin perennis combined "per-" ("throughout") with a form of "annus" ("year"). The poet Ovid, writing around the beginning of the first millennium, used the Latin word to refer to a "perennial spring" (water source), and the scholar Pliny used it of birds that don't migrate. Our "perennial" retains these same uses, for streams and occasionally for birds, but it has long had extended meanings, too.

Examples of perennial in a Sentence

The problem … is inherent and perennial in any democracy, but it has been more severe in ours during the past quarter-century because of the near universal denigration of government, politics and politicians. — Michael Kinsley, Time, 29 Oct. 2001 The issue between science and art is of perennial interest to me, since I started off in science in college, in medicine, was headed for psychiatry, and ended up writing novels … — Walker Percy, "The State Of The Novel," 1977, in Signposts in a Strange Land, 1991 … scientists are warning that a perennial viral threat, the upcoming flu season, could be far more dangerous than usual—more evidence that these tiny foes are responsible for a large share of human suffering. — Claudia Wallis, Time, 3 Nov. 1986 This variety of oregano is perennial. Flooding is a perennial problem for people living by the river.

Recent Examples on the Web

Every year, the retailer features a variety of mugs, including popular perennial favorites as well as their latest collection. — Jessica Leigh Mattern, Country Living, "Anthropologie's Insanely Popular Monogram Mugs Make the Cutest Christmas Gifts," 26 Nov. 2018 Always in style and incredibly hard-wearing, brick floors are a perennial favorite not just for patios, but in any indoor space where durability is key (think mudrooms, kitchens, and the like). — Emma Bazilian, House Beautiful, "An Insanely Easy Way to Get an Antique Brick Floor," 13 Feb. 2019 While the top portion of a perennial dies back in winter, new growth appears the following spring from the same root system. — Arricca Sansone, Country Living, "Annuals vs. Perennials: Everything You Need to Know," 1 Feb. 2019 Beyond these shores—and despite a harrowing hurricane season in 2017—resorts in the Caribbean, and on the island of St. Barts in particular are among your perennial favorites. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, "How Do the Readers' Choice Awards Work?," 9 Oct. 2018 Once you’re done, try other perennial favorites like Car Counting (the first person to see ten of a certain type of vehicle wins) and the License Plate game (whoever spots the most states by the ride’s end is victorious). — Nadine Jolie Courtney, Redbook, "Genius Ways to Keep Your Kids Busy on Road Trips," 16 Aug. 2018 In 2016, 8 percent of IvyWise students applied to USC; this year the number soared to 20 percent, on par with perennial favorite Brown. — Alex Bhattacharji, Town & Country, "Can USC Survive Scandal and Shed Its Spoiled-Kid Reputation Once and For All?," 10 July 2018 In the winter, the island sheds the sparkles for a more subdued richness: terra cotta soil, perennial wildflowers, almond blossoms, citrus trees, quiet mornings in Mediterranean coves. — Elizabeth Wellington, Vogue, "For Authentic Ibiza, Visit in the Winter," 15 Feb. 2019 One of the perennial complaints here in Seattle is about police response times to nonemergency calls. — Gene Balk / Fyi Guy, The Seattle Times, "The ‘Nextdoor effect’ in Bellevue: a familiar reaction to crime," 11 Feb. 2019

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