Deciduous
/dɪˈsɪdʒ.u.əs/noun
Describing a tree or plant that sheds its leaves seasonally, or something that is temporary and falls away.
Did you know?Its Latin ancestor *deciduus* comes from *decidere*, “to fall down,” built from *de-* (“down, away”) + *cadere* (“to fall”), the same root behind words like *cascade* and *casualty*.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kad-
“to fall”
Latin
Latin
cadere
“to fall”
Latin
Latin
decidere
“to fall down; to fall off; to settle or determine”
Latin
Latin
deciduus
“falling off; shedding”
Late Middle English
English
deciduous
“falling off seasonally, especially leaves”
Modern English
English
deciduous
“shedding leaves or other parts at a certain season”