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perennial

adjective
pe·​ren·​ni·​al | \ pə-ˈre-nē-əl How to pronounce perennial (audio) \

Definition of perennial

1 : present at all seasons of the year
2 : persisting for several years usually with new herbaceous growth from a perennating part perennial asters
3a : persistent, enduring perennial favorites
b : continuing without interruption : constant, perpetual the perennial quest for certainty a perennial student
c : regularly repeated or renewed : recurrent death is a perennial literary theme
Other Words from perennial Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about perennial

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Other Words from perennial

perennial noun
perennially \ pə-​ˈre-​nē-​ə-​lē How to pronounce perennially (audio) \ adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for perennial

continual, continuous, constant, incessant, perpetual, perennial mean characterized by continued occurrence or recurrence. continual often implies a close prolonged succession or recurrence. continual showers the whole weekend continuous usually implies an uninterrupted flow or spatial extension. football's oldest continuous rivalry constant implies uniform or persistent occurrence or recurrence. lived in constant pain incessant implies ceaseless or uninterrupted activity. annoyed by the incessant quarreling perpetual suggests unfailing repetition or lasting duration. a land of perpetual snowfall perennial implies enduring existence often through constant renewal. a perennial source of controversy

Did You Know?

Nowadays when we talk about "perennial plants," or simply "perennials" ("perennial" can be a noun, too), we mean plants that die back seasonally but produce new growth in the spring. But originally "perennial" was equivalent to "evergreen," used for plants that remain with us all year. We took this "throughout the year" sense straight from the Romans, whose Latin perennis combined "per-" ("throughout") with a form of "annus" ("year"). The poet Ovid, writing around the beginning of the first millennium, used the Latin word to refer to a "perennial spring" (water source), and the scholar Pliny used it of birds that don't migrate. Our "perennial" retains these same uses, for streams and occasionally for birds, but it has long had extended meanings, too.

Examples of perennial in a Sentence

The problem … is inherent and perennial in any democracy, but it has been more severe in ours during the past quarter-century because of the near universal denigration of government, politics and politicians. — Michael Kinsley, Time, 29 Oct. 2001 The issue between science and art is of perennial interest to me, since I started off in science in college, in medicine, was headed for psychiatry, and ended up writing novels … — Walker Percy, "The State Of The Novel," 1977, in Signposts in a Strange Land,  1991 … scientists are warning that a perennial viral threat, the upcoming flu season, could be far more dangerous than usual—more evidence that these tiny foes are responsible for a large share of human suffering. — Claudia Wallis, Time, 3 Nov. 1986 This variety of oregano is perennial. Flooding is a perennial problem for people living by the river.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 There’s no one in the league quite like the 29-year-old Green, who cherishes being a perennial candidate for Defensive Player of the Year while acting as a playmaker on the offensive end. — Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, "Draymond Green extension keeps Warriors among elite," 3 Aug. 2019 Among top-pair blue liners, only Tampa Bay’s perennial Norris Trophy candidate, Victor Hedman, has a better rate (58.70). — Matt Porter, BostonGlobe.com, "NHL seeing little movement on restricted free agents," 27 July 2019 While intraparty tussles are perennial in politics, this one comes against a unique backdrop: an unpopular, mendacious, norm-trampling President. — Molly Ball, Time, "What Do the Democrats Stand For? Inside a Fight Over America's Future," 25 July 2019 Earmarks in the early 2000s were a hardy perennial in appropriations bills, from defense to transportation. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "Stick a Fork in Senate Pork," 23 May 2019 SportsPulse: While Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr feels Steph Curry won't be ready for the start of the NBA playoffs, the perennial All-Star is ready to prove him wrong. — Sam Amick, USA TODAY, "Kevin Durant: Warriors aren't invincible this postseason," 3 Apr. 2018 The top employers are often perennial contenders that often find themselves near the top of the lists. — Christopher Dinsmore, baltimoresun.com, "The Deadline for Baltimore’s Top Workplaces extended until Aug. 9," 12 July 2019 Niles North coach Glenn Olson said Bull and Butler are key building blocks for a program that’s become a perennial contender in the Central Suburban League. — Bob Narang, chicagotribune.com, "'Winning is the expectation’: Niles North hopes to build around Jalen Butler," 6 July 2019 This is no easy task, however, for a perennial title contender. — Connor Letourneau, SFChronicle.com, "Why this NBA draft is bigger for the Warriors than you might think," 18 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'perennial.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of perennial

circa 1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for perennial

Latin perennis, from per- throughout + annus year — more at per-, annual

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More Definitions for perennial

perennial

adjective
How to pronounce perennial (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of perennial

of a plant : living for several years or for many years : having a life cycle that is more than two years long
: existing or continuing in the same way for a long time
: happening again and again

See the full definition for perennial in the English Language Learners Dictionary

perennial

adjective
pe·​ren·​ni·​al | \ pə-ˈre-nē-əl How to pronounce perennial (audio) \

Kids Definition of perennial

 (Entry 1 of 2)

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