Meaning & use
canopies
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“canopies” is a form of “canopy”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nouncountablebiology
The upper layers of branches and leaves in a forest, forming a roof above the ground.
Grammar: Countable plural of canopy: forest canopies. Singular is often used with the: the canopy.
Patterns
- canopies of something
- beneath the canopies
Monkeys travel through the canopies, rarely touching the ground.
Dense canopies keep the forest floor in constant shade.
Scientists use cranes to study life in the canopies of tropical trees.
nouncountable
Covers hung or fixed over something, such as a bed, a doorway or a seating area, to give shelter or decoration.
Grammar: Plural of canopy when several coverings are meant: canopies over the stalls.
Patterns
- canopies over something
- canopies above something
Striped canopies shaded every stall in the market.
The old hotel still has beds with fabric canopies.
Glass canopies protect the station entrances from rain.
nouncountabletechnical
The transparent covers over aircraft cockpits, or the fabric part of a parachute, when several are mentioned.
Grammar: Countable and used in technical contexts: fighter canopies.
Patterns
- cockpit canopies
- parachute canopies
The cockpit canopies were cleaned before the airshow.
Hundreds of parachute canopies filled the sky during the display.
The mechanic replaced two cracked canopies on the training aircraft.
Word forms
| singular | canopy |
|---|
Common combinations
- forest canopies
- Forest canopies absorb a huge amount of carbon.
- under the canopies
- We ate lunch under the canopies to stay out of the sun.
- dense canopies
- Dense canopies block most of the sunlight.
- tree canopies
- Tree canopies help cool city streets.
- shaded canopies
- Vendors sheltered under shaded canopies during the heat wave.
Synonyms and how they differ
- awnings
- Awnings are fixed or retractable covers on buildings, so they are narrower than canopies, which also covers forests and beds.
- coverings
- Coverings is a vague general term that lacks the roof-like, raised sense of canopies.
- foliage
- Foliage means the leaves themselves, whereas canopies means the layer they form together.
- shelters
- Shelters stresses protection from weather and could be any structure, while canopies must be an overhead cover.
Opposites
Word family
- canopy noun
- the singular form
- canopied adjective
- having a canopy over it
- under canopy adjective
- beneath a covering, as in gardening
Commonly confused: canopies or canapés?
canopies vs canapés
Canapés are small appetizers, pronounced differently. Canopies are overhead covers or tree layers, even though the spelling looks close.
Practice
Which phrase best completes the sentence? 'Birds nest high in the ___ of the rainforest.'
Choose one answer.
Canopies are the upper layers of branches where birds nest. Canapés is a tempting similar-looking word, but it means small appetizers.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “canopies”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.