leaf

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The flat, usually green part of a plant that grows from a stem or branch.

   In autumn the leaves turn red and gold.

2. 2
   noun

   A single sheet of paper in a book, with a page on each side.

   She carefully turned each leaf of the old manuscript.

3. 3
   verb

   To turn over the pages of a book or magazine quickly.

   He leafed through the magazine while he waited.

4. 4
   noun

   A flat section that can be added to or folded out of a table.

   We added the leaf to the dining table for the guests.

From Middle English leef, from Old English lēaf, from Proto-West Germanic *laub, from Proto-Germanic *laubą (“leaf”), from Proto-Indo-European *lowbʰ-o-m, from *lewbʰ- (“to cut off”). Cognates Cognate with Scots leaf (“leaf”), Yola laafe (“leaf”), North Frisian luuf (“leaf”), Saterland Frisian Loof (“leaf”), West Frisian leaf (“leaf”), Cimbrian loap (“leaf”), Dutch loof (“foliage”), German Laub (“leaves”), German Low German Loov (“leaf”), Luxembourgish Laf (“foliage, leaves”), Mòcheno lap (“leaf”), Vilamovian łaub, łaup, łojp (“leaf”), Danish løv (“leaf”), Faroese leyv (“leaf”), Icelandic lauf…

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