Foliolate

/ˈfoʊliəˌleɪt/ adjective

Definition

Having small leaves or leaflets, especially in botany when describing compound leaves made up of many tiny leaflets.

Etymology

From Latin 'foliolum' (a small leaf, diminutive of 'folium'), plus '-ate,' describing plants that display this characteristic leaf structure.

Kelly Says

A rose leaf looks simple, but zoom in and you'll see it's actually 'foliolate'—made of dozens of tiny leaflets arranged together—a design that lets plants catch more sunlight while staying flexible in the wind.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.