topiary

What it means

1. not comparableOf, or relating to art of topiaries.

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

   1910, American homes and gardens: Volume 7

2. not comparableOf a tree or shrub, trimmed in artistic shape.

In a sentence

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

1910, American homes and gardens: Volume 7

Where it comes from

1. Ancient Greekτόπιον“field, landscape”
2. Ancient Greekτόπια“artistic representation in which natural or artificial features of a place are used as the medium”
3. Latintopia“ornamental gardening, landscape painting”
4. Latintopiarius“of or relating to ornamental gardening; an ornamental garden, an ornamental gardener”
5. Englishtopiary

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 τόπια (tópia, “artistic representation in which natural or artificial features of a place are used as the medium”), plural of Ancient Greek τόπιον (tópion, “field, landscape”), from τόπος (tópos, “place”). The adjective use dates to 1592, the noun use dates to 1908.