different between espalier vs topiary

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French espalier, from Italian spalliera, from spalla (“shoulder”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??spal??/, /?s?pæl.?.e?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??spæl.j?/, /??spæl.je?/
• ,

Noun

espalier (plural espaliers)

1. A latticework used to shape or train the branches of a tree or shrub into a two-dimensional ornamental or useful design, as along a wall or fence.
   • 1974, Lawrence Durrell, Monsieur, Faber & Faber 1992, p. 223:

     The garment stalls carried the traditional blue vine-dressers' outfits, sunhats, and the great willow pitchforks grown in espalier at villages like Sauve.

2. A plant that has been shaped in this manner.
3. A row of plants that have been shaped in this manner.

Verb

espalier (third-person singular simple present espaliers, present participle espaliering, simple past and past participle espaliered)

1. To train a plant in this manner.

See also

• arborsculpture
• bonsai
• topiary

Anagrams

• pearlies

French

Etymology

From Italian spalliera.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s.pa.lje/

Noun

espalier m (plural espaliers)

1. (agriculture) espalier
2. (sports) wall bars

Anagrams

• épileras
• pèlerais

Further reading

• “espalier” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From French espalier, from Italian spalliera, from spalla (“shoulder”).

Noun

espalier n (definite singular espalieret, indefinite plural espalier or espalierer, definite plural espaliera or espalierene)

1. (horticulture) espalier
2. A formation of people lined up in two columns facing each other (to secure a passageway).

• Danne espalier

References

• “espalier” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “espalier” in The Ordnett Dictionary

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From French espalier, from Italian spalliera, from spalla (“shoulder”).

Noun

espalier n (definite singular espalieret, indefinite plural espalier, definite plural espaliera)

1. (horticulture) espalier
2. A formation of people lined up in two columns facing each other (to secure a passageway).

• Danne espalier

References

• “espalier” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

English

Etymology

From Latin topiarius (“of or relating to ornamental gardening; an ornamental garden, an ornamental gardener”), from Latin topia (“ornamental gardening, landscape painting”), from Ancient Greek ????? (tópia, “artistic representation in which natural or artificial features of a place are used as the medium”), plural of Ancient Greek ?????? (tópion, “field, landscape”), from ????? (tópos, “place”). The adjective use dates to 1592, the noun use dates to 1908.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?t??pj??i/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?to?pi????i/

Adjective

topiary (not comparable)

1. Of, or relating to art of topiaries.
   • 1910, American homes and gardens: Volume 7

     As the topiary art has been allowed to practically die out, it is difficult to secure the services of skilled clippers.

2. Of a tree or shrub, trimmed in artistic shape.

Translations

Noun

topiary (countable and uncountable, plural topiaries)

1. (uncountable) Art or practice of trimming shrubs or trees in artistic or ornamental shapes, e.g. of animals.
   • 1994, Robert Jordan, Lord of Chaos, prologue

     The palace garden might have had a semblance of coolness had there been any trees, but the tallest things were fanciful topiary, tortured into the shapes of running horses or bears performing tumblers’ tricks or the like.

2. (countable) A garden decorated with such art.
3. (countable) One such shrub or tree.

Translations

See also

• arborsculpture
• bonsai
• espalier