Lasting for many years or recurring regularly; in botany, refers to plants that live for more than two years.
From Latin 'perennis' meaning lasting through years, from 'per' (through) and 'annus' (year). The botanical sense developed first, then extended metaphorically to describe anything enduring or constantly recurring over long periods.
Perennial plants survive winters by storing energy in their roots, emerging year after year - a strategy that mirrors how perennial problems or themes in human life keep returning despite our efforts to resolve them once and for all.
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