perennial

== English == === Etymology === The adjective is borrowed from Latin perennis (“lasting through the whole year or for several years, perennial; continual, everlasting, perpetual”) + English -al (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives). Perennis is derived from per- (“completive or intensifying prefix with the sense of doing something all the way through or entirely”) + annus (“year; season, time”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂et- (“to go”)). By surface analysis, per- +‎ -ennial. The noun is derived from the adjective. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /pəˈɹɛn.ɪ.əl/ (General American) IPA(key): /pəˈɹɛn.j(ə)l/, /pəˈɹɛn.i.əl/ Hyphenation: per‧en‧ni‧al === Adjective === perennial (not comparable) Lasting or remaining active throughout the year, for multiple years, or all the time. Synonyms: multiyear, yearslong, (archaic or obsolete) perennal a perennial stream (figurative) Continuing without cessation or intermission for several years, or for an undetermined or infinite period; never-ending or never failing; perpetual, unceasing. Synonyms: continual, enduring, everlasting, permanent, timeless; see also Thesaurus:eternal Appearing or recurring again and again; recurrent. Synonyms: repetitious; see also Thesaurus:repetitive a perennial candidate in elections (rare) Appearing again each year; annual. (botany) Of a plant: active throughout the year, or having a life cycle of more than two growing seasons. Coordinate terms: annual, biennial ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== perennate perennating (adjective) perennation perennious (archaic or literary) perennity ==== Translations ==== === Noun === perennial (plural perennials) (botany) A plant that is active throughout the year, or has a life cycle of more than two growing seasons. Coordinate terms: annual, biennial, evergreen (by extension) A thing that lasts forever. A person or thing (such as a problem) that appears or returns regularly. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === perennial plant on Wikipedia.Wikipedia perennial (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia === Anagrams === -prenaline