SINCE 1828
topiary
noun
to·pi·ary
| \ ˈtō-pē-ˌer-ē
\
\
plural topiaries
Definition of topiary
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: a plant shaped by topiary art
b
: topiary plants
2
: topiary art or gardening
also
: a topiary garden
topiary
adjectiveDefinition of topiary (Entry 2 of 2)
: of, relating to, or being the practice or art of training, cutting, and trimming trees or shrubs into odd or ornamental shapes
also
: characterized by such work
Examples of topiary in a Sentence
Noun
a garden featuring topiaries and fountainsRecent Examples on the Web: Noun
Other topiaries occupying prime Epcot real estate include Donald Duck and nephews in gardening mode right behind Spaceship Earth. — Dewayne Bevil, OrlandoSentinel.com, "First look: Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival for 2018," 28 Feb. 2018 Most striking, perhaps, are the crimson topiary trees (pictured above), which currently line the east colonnade. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "Melania Trump Just Unveiled This Year's White House Christmas Decorations," 26 Nov. 2018 Denise Fasanello, a New York florist, interprets topiary even more loosely, winding button ferns or creeping fig around a round, metal armature to create a leafy, obstreperous ball. — Cynthia Kling, WSJ, "Laid-Back Topiary for Your Winter Windowsill," 12 Oct. 2018 Idea #6: Bring steps to new heights with lines of topiaries. — Sarah Bray, House Beautiful, "10 Breathtaking Gardens," 12 May 2014 This festival, which will be held until May 28, highlights all things spring, from beautiful topiaries to fresh flavors. — Lauren Delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "First bite: Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival," 28 Feb. 2018 The patio is a great refuge with its white tables set off by topiary, shrubbery, flowers and trees. — Patrick Z. Mcgavin, Post-Tribune, "Guide to outdoor dining in Chicago suburbs and NWI: Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake," 9 July 2018 Decorate with fragrant potted trees and topiaries to bring a verdant atmosphere into your home, turning your living room into an interactive game room. — ELLE Decor, "Now *This* Is How You Throw a Grown-Up Pool Party," 6 July 2018 The Bardi Shower, as the napkins proclaimed it, included huge displays of pink roses, giraffe topiaries, a throne where Cardi and Offset posed together for pictures, and a Bardi Baby Bodega. — Madeleine Aggeler, The Cut, "Cardi B’s Baby Shower Looked Fun As Hell," 27 June 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
The craft of topiary dates to at least ancient Rome. — Cynthia Kling, WSJ, "Laid-Back Topiary for Your Winter Windowsill," 12 Oct. 2018 There's even a topiary version of Tick-Tock the Crocodile, for lovers of Disney's 1953 animated film. — Heather Finn, Good Housekeeping, "The Dallas Arboretum Uses 100,000 Pumpkins to Build Its Annual Fall Village," 12 Oct. 2018 Proud parades of topiary yews, surely once immaculate, have gone slightly shaggy. — David Usborne, Town & Country, "The Mysterious Case of the Parnham House Fire," 29 May 2018 From $3,440 a week; boutique-homes.com FOR MERLOT AND MAILLOT LOVERS Château Mireille The pool at this 18th-century bastide in Provence overlooks a formal topiary garden that’s as stately as the manor’s four floors filled with antiques and artwork. — Donna Bulseco, WSJ, "6 Vacation Villas With Enviable Pools," 15 May 2018 There’s also a playground, a yew maze, Rose Garden, and topiary chess set. — Ellen Scolnic, Philly.com, "Finding Anne Boleyn (and Henry VIII) at Hever Castle," 9 Feb. 2018 Private gates open to a boxwood topiary garden, and through the front door, a checkerboard marble foyer leads into more than 10,000 square feet of living space. — Jack Flemming, latimes.com, "Sale of Smokey Robinson's former estate was Encino's chart-topper of 2017," 4 Jan. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'topiary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for topiary
topiary
noun
English Language Learners Definition of topiary
: plants (such as trees and bushes) that are cut or grown into decorative shapes
also
: the art of shaping plants in this way
: a plant that is cut or grown into a decorative shape
Comments on topiary
What made you want to look up topiary? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?
-
- Which came first?
Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?
Which word entered the English language first?
Take the quiz -
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
Do you know these earlier meanings of words?
Take the quiz -
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?
Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!
Take the quiz -
SCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!
Play the game
Share topiary
Resources for topiary