How do you pronounce foliage?: Usage Guide
The disyllabic pronunciation \ˈfō-lij\ is very common. Some commentators insist that foliage requires a trisyllabic pronunciation because of its spelling, but words of a similar pattern such as carriage and marriage do not fall under their prescription. The pronunciation \ˈfȯi-lij\ is disapproved because it suggests the transposition of the l and i in the spelling. It is not as common as \ˈfō-lij\ and may be associated with the nonstandard spelling foilage.
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How Do You Pronounce foliage?
Whether you’re a casual leaf peeper or a card-carrying botanist, a staunch New Englander or Caribbean beach bum, there’s plenty to love about foliage—though the pronunciation of foliage has long been a point of contention among English speakers. Most commonly accepted is the trisyllabic \FOH-lee-ij\. However, there’s no denying that the pronunciations \FOH-lij\ and even \FOY-lij\ have also staked their claim. The first of these disputed pronunciations is consistent with the pronunciation of the -iage ending in marriage and carriage. The second is often more fiercely denounced, in part because of its association with the nonstandard spelling foilage. But there’s redemption for this estranged pronunciation: foliage traces back to Middle French foille ("leaf"), which is also the source of the English word foil (as in "aluminum foil"). When adopted by Middle English speakers, foil originally meant "leaf." Love it or leaf it, there’s just no taking the "foil" out of foliage.
Examples of foliage in a Sentence
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2025
In late spring and early summer, tiny pink or purple flowers appear in clusters that may cover the foliage and attract a variety of pollinators.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2025
Listen to this article Poway Valley Garden Club’s Flower Show and Plant sale this year will emphasize fruit and vegetable plants and potted plants that provide beautiful foliage, organizers said.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
Invisible geckos belt out intermittent clicks from the foliage, as brown pelicans sweep lazily across the sky, patrolling the shoreline for their daily fill.
—Ashlee Marie Preston, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foliage
Cite this Entry
“Foliage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foliage. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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