espalier

English

WOTD – 19 April 2008

Etymology

Espaliered fruit tree.

Borrowed from French espalier, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Italian spalliera, from spalla (“shoulder”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪˈspalɪə/, /ɛsˈpæl.ɪ.eɪ/
• IPA^(key): /ɪˈspæl.jɚ/, /ɪˈspæl.jeɪ/

• Audio (US):

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  Audio (US):

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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

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French

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Italian spalliera.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛs.pa.lje/

Noun

espalier m (plural espaliers)

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

Anagrams

• épileras
• pèlerais

External links

• “espalier”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

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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

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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.