Definition of PERENNIAL (original) (raw)
1
: present at all seasons of the year
3
b
: continuing without interruption : constant, perpetual
the perennial quest for certainty
c
: regularly repeated or renewed : recurrent
death is a perennial literary theme
Did you know?
When you hear perennial, you probably think of peonies rather than pines. The word today typically describes (or, as a noun, refers to) plants that die back seasonally but produce new growth in the spring. But this wasn’t the word’s initial meaning: originally, perennial was equivalent to evergreen, used, as that word is, for plants that remain with us all year. We took this "throughout the year" sense straight from the Romans, whose Latin word 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" (a water source), and the scholar Pliny used it of birds that don't migrate. Perennial retains these same uses today, for streams and occasionally for birds, but the word has long since branched out to encompass several other senses, including "constant" (as in "a perennial bestseller") and "recurring" (as in "the perennial joy of reading Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day").
Synonyms
Choose the Right Synonym for perennial
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.
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
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.
Recent Examples on the Web Along with substantive allegations of soliciting foreign donations, taking bribes, and wire fraud — that perennial federal favorite — the charges aggregate to a potential 45 years’ imprisonment. —The Editors, National Review, 27 Sep. 2024 Smith’s prodigious talent enabled her to play roles from tragedy to comedy with equal facility, earning her a perennial spot on the lists of top British actresses. —Duane Byrge, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Sep. 2024 Lawn grass will continue to grow long after many perennial and annual landscape plants go dormant or are killed by frost in fall. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2024 This isn't exactly news, but Alvarez is one of baseball's left-handed hitters, a perennial All-Star with four seasons with an OPS+ at least 70 percent above league average. —Michael Shapiro, Chron, 23 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for perennial 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perennial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Latin perennis, from per- throughout + annus year — more at per-, annual
First Known Use
circa 1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of perennial was circa 1660
Dictionary Entries Near perennial
Cite this Entry
“Perennial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perennial. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
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Last Updated: 30 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences
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