canopy
KAN-uh-pee
/ˈkæn.ə.pi/
The uppermost continuous layer of foliage formed by the crowns of trees in a forest.
Refers to the elevated high-altitude roof layer of a forest that captures maximum sunlight.
The story behind the word. berasal from Greek konops (mosquito). A konopeion was a mosquito curtain around a bed, which evolved through Latin and Old French into a word meaning an overhead roof or covering.
Word relationships
- treetop layer: Treetop layer is informal, whereas canopy is the precise ecological structural term.
- undergrowth: Undergrowth consists of plants near the ground, while canopy is the high roof of the forest.
Commonly confused with
- understory: Understory is the vegetation layer directly beneath the upper canopy layer.
Word family
- canopies (noun): Plural forest roof structures.
- canopied (adjective): Covered with or overhead by a canopy.
Collocations
- forest canopy
- dense canopy
- canopy walkway
- tree canopy
Example sentences
- "Bright parakeets flew beneath the thick canopy, barely visible from the shaded ground far below." Forest Ecology
Memory hook
CAN O' PEAS? No, a CANOPY covers the forest like an overhead curtain. Canopy = high forest umbrella formed by foliage.
When not to use
Do not use to describe low ground-level grass or fallen leaves on the forest floor.
Fun facts
- In rainforests, up to 90 percent of all forest organism species dwell high up in the canopy.
Related words
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