Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The art of growing dwarfed, ornamentally shaped trees or shrubs in small shallow pots or trays.
- noun A tree or shrub grown by this method.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
tree orplant that has beenminiaturized by restriction of itsroots and by carefulpruning .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a dwarfed ornamental tree or shrub grown in a tray or shallow pot
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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"This variation of bonsai is Japanese Red Maple," the host explained.
Garden 2010
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The word bonsai is used in the West as an umbrella term for all miniature trees in containers or pots.
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It's also used in small, desktop rock gardens and as a base in Japanese bonsai-tree kits.
Word to Poachers 2007
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"You can't drive down a block on Beacon Hill without seeing them," says Joel Lee of the plant sculptures he refers to as bonsai on his popular neighborhood blog.
The Seattle Times 2011
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In Chinese, the word bonsai means 'tree in a pot'.
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Smells delish, but the bonsai is still a little strong, so it could be lowered a little more:) It has bentonite clay beads in the top layer, and black oxide sprinkled/dusted dry between the layers.
Bonsai & Pineapple Cilantro Anne-Marie 2008
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Small has always been beautiful in Japan, whether you think of the mini-component audio systems the country pioneered in the 1970s, its cultural love affair with miniaturized potted plants known as bonsai, or the current rage for small-engine mini-cars.
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A bonsai is a normal tree whose development is not halted but rather guided in order to obtain a healthy miniaturised tree.
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"We tell new people that your bonsai is your idea," Cavalli said, noting that the group is open to people of all levels.
unknown title 2009
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There are several varieties of this twisted specimen most prized for bonsai, which is why we have one sitting in a bonsai-in-waiting pot.
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