foliate meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

foliate

adj

UK /ˈfəʊliət/ · US /ˈfoʊliət/

Etymology Learned borrowing from Latin foliātus (“having leaves, leafy, leaved”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), a participial adjective derived from folium (“leaf; (Late Latin) leaf or sheet of paper”) + -ātus (participial adjective-forming suffix) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃- (“blossom, flower”) or *dʰelh₁- (“to be green”)).

7 senses

1Of or relating to leaves.
2Shaped like or otherwise resembling a leaf; leaflike.
3Of a curve: having two infinite branches with a common…
4Of a plant: having leaves.
5Of a leaf: having a (certain number of) leaflets.
6Synonym of foliated (“of a rock: having a structure of…
7In the form of a foil or thin sheet.

Of or relating to leaves.

Shaped like or otherwise resembling a leaf; leaflike.

In the Laureat draughts of ſculpture and picture, the leaves and foliate vvorks are commonly thus contrived, vvhich is but in imitation of the Pulvinaria, and ancient pillovv-vvork, obſervable in Ionick peeces, about columns, temples and altars.1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. […]. Chapter II.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], →OCLC, page 106:

Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences Of a curve: having two infinite branches with a common asymptote, and a leaf-shaped loop.

Biology, Botany, Natural sciences Of a plant: having leaves.

Biology, Botany, Natural sciences Of a leaf: having a (certain number of) leaflets.

Geography, Geology, Natural sciences Synonym of foliated (“of a rock: having a structure of thin layers”).

Obsolete In the form of a foil or thin sheet.

foliate gold
But note, that all Solide Bodies are Cleauing, more or leſſe: And that they loue better the Touch of ſomevvhat that is Tangible, than of Aire. For VVater, in ſmall quantity, cleaueth to any Thing that is Solide; […] And therfore Gold Foliate, or any Metall Foliate, cleaueth: […]1631, Francis [Bacon], “III. Century. [Experiment Solitary Touching Appetite of Vnion in Bodies.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, paragraph 293, page 75:

1 more example

[T]he ſubſtance of gold is indeed invincible by the povverfulleſt action of natural heat, […] as is very evident, not only in the ſvvallowing of golden bullets but in the leſſer and foliate diviſions thereof, paſſing the ſtomack and guts even as it doth the throat, that is vvithout abatement of vveight or conſiſtences; […]1646, Thomas Browne, “Compendiously of Sundry Tenents Concerning Minerall and Terreous Bodies, which Examined, Prove either False or Dubious”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 2nd book, paragraph 3, page 85:

Derived terms: 25 terms
acutifoliate, adversifoliate, alternifoliate, angustifoliate, bifoliate, cochlearifoliate, decemfoliate, defoliate, difoliate, foliate curve, foliation, latifoliate, monofoliate, multifoliate, nonfoliate, paucifoliate, plurifoliate, quadrifoliate, quinquefoliate, refoliate, rotundifoliate, septemfoliate, subfoliate, tetrafoliate, unifoliate
Related terms: foil, foliaceous, foliar, folio, folium

foliate

noun

Etymology From a substantivation of the above adjective. Equivalent to folia + -ate (noun-forming suffix).

Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences A logocyclic curve.

foliate

verb

UK /ˈfəʊlieɪt/ · US /ˈfoʊliˌeɪt/

Etymology From Latin folium (“leaf”) + -ate (verb-forming suffix) (more at etymology 1)

To add numbers to (a folio or leaf, or all the folios or leaves, of a book); also, to add numbers to the folios or leaves of (a book); to folio, to page, to paginate.

To spread (glass) with a thin coat of mercury and tin, or other substances forming a foil, to create a mirror; to foil, to silver.

to foliate a looking-glass
[T]he production of the Rainbovv is as much to be aſcribed to the reflection of the concave ſurface of the air, as to the refraction of the Globular drops: this vvill be evidently manifeſt by theſe Experiments, if you foliate that part of a Glaſs-ball that is to reflect an Iris, as in the Carteſian Experiment, above mention'd, the reflections vvill be abundantly more ſtrong, and the colours more vivid: […]1665, R[obert] Hooke, “Observ[ation] XIII. Of the Small Diamants, or Sparks in Flints.”, in Micrographia: Or Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies Made by Magnifying Glasses. […], London: […] Jo[hn] Martyn, and Ja[mes] Allestry, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC, page 83:

Architecture To decorate (an architectural feature, as an arch or window) with foils (“small arcs in the traceries of arches, windows, etc.”).

All European architecture, bad and good, old and new, is derived from Greece through Rome, and coloured and perfected from the East. […] Now observe: those old Greeks gave the shaft; Rome gave the arch; the Arabs pointed and foliated the arch.1851, John Ruskin, “The Quarry”, in The Stones of Venice, volume I (The Foundations), London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, page 13:

Obsolete To beat (metal) into a foil or thin sheet.

[I]f Gold be foliated and held betvveen your Eye and the Light, the Light looks blue, and therefore maſſy Gold lets into its Body the blue-making rays to be reflected to and fro vvithin it till they be ſtopt and ſtifled, vvhilſt it reflects the yellovv-making outvvards, and thereby looks yellovv.1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “[The First Book of Opticks. Part II.] Prop[osition] X. Prob[lem] V. [Exper[iment] XVII.]”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Smith, and Benj[amin] Walford, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC, page 140:

To split into layers or leaves.

Biology, Botany, Natural sciences Of a plant: to produce leaves.

Derived terms: defoliate, effoliate, exfoliate, foliated, foliating, foliator, refoliate, unfoliated

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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Conjugation of “foliate”, all tenses