leafing
1
3.1
- noun
- /ˈliːfɪŋ/
- Specialized
:
brotes
- During the spring, the oak tree begins leafing as new green leaves unfold.
- leafing trees
Examples
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The birds in this leafing-out suburb are always up to something.
Fiction book (1990) -
Let's see, this area here is beautiful, incredible hydrangeas leafing out, looking amazing.
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And what we're looking for are new leaves being formed.
-
Kirindy's trees tend to grow extremely slowly and, unlike many tropical trees, have pronounced seasonal cycles of flowering, leafing, and fruiting.
Academic text (2000) -
In the Northern Hemisphere, scientists and naturalists are noting advances in the timing of a myriad of seasonal events, including the blooming of daffodils, the leafing out of trees, and egg laying by frogs and birds.
Academic text (2004) -
The process of leafing allows the plants to capture more sunlight for photosynthesis.
-
Gardening enthusiasts love watching the leafing of new growth in their favorite plants.
Synonyms
Leaves forming on a plant as it grows
How Green
Surface Forms
Morphology
leafing = leaf (transparent) = leaf + ing
The noun is formed directly from the verb 'leaf' with the regular suffix '-ing' to denote the process of producing leaves.
Etymology
Leafing comes from the simple word leaf meaning 'the flat green part of a plant' and the ending -ing that shows an action. So leafing means 'making or producing leaves', like when trees grow new leaves in spring.