foliate

Adjective

foliate (comparative more foliate, superlative most foliate)

1. Of or relating to leaves.

   Synonyms:

   foliar

2. Shaped like or otherwise resembling a leaf; leaflike.
   • In the Laureat draughts of ſculpture and picture, the leaves and foliate vvorks are commonly thus contrived, vvhich is but in imitation of the Pulvinaria, and ancient pillovv-vvork, obſervable in Ionick peeces, about columns, temples and altars.1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. […]. Chapter II.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], →OCLC, page 106

   Synonyms:

   foliaceous, leaf-shaped, leafy

   Antonyms:

   nonfoliate

   1. Of a curve: having two infinite branches with a common asymptote, and a leaf-shaped loop.
3. Of a plant: having leaves.

   Synonyms:

   leafy, leaved

   Antonyms:

   nonfoliate, aphyllous

4. Of a leaf: having a (certain number of) leaflets.
5. Synonym of foliated (“of a rock: having a structure of thin layers”).

   Synonyms:

   foliated

6. (obsolete) In the form of a foil or thin sheet.
   • foliate gold
   • But note, that all Solide Bodies are Cleauing, more or leſſe: And that they loue better the Touch of ſomevvhat that is Tangible, than of Aire. For VVater, in ſmall quantity, cleaueth to any Thing that is Solide; […] And therfore Gold Foliate, or any Metall Foliate, cleaueth: […]1631, Francis [Bacon], “III. Century. [Experiment Solitary Touching Appetite of Vnion in Bodies.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William...

Noun

foliate (plural foliates)

1. A logocyclic curve.

Verb

UK/ˈfəʊlieɪt/US/ˈfoʊliˌeɪt/

foliate (third-person singular simple present foliates, present participle foliating, simple past and past participle foliated)

1. (transitive) To add numbers to (a folio or leaf, or all the folios or leaves, of a book); also, to add numbers to the folios or leaves of (a book); to folio, to page, to paginate.
2. (transitive) To spread (glass) with a thin coat of mercury and tin, or other substances forming a foil, to create a mirror; to foil, to silver.
   • to foliate a looking-glass
   • [T]he production of the Rainbovv is as much to be aſcribed to the reflection of the concave ſurface of the air, as to the refraction of the Globular drops: this vvill be evidently manifeſt by theſe Experiments, if you foliate that part of a Glaſs-ball that is to reflect an Iris, as in the Carteſian...1665, R[obert] Hooke, “Observ[ation] XIII. Of the Small Diamants, or Sparks in Flints.”, in Micrographia: Or Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies Made by Magnifying Glasses. […], London...
3. (transitive) To decorate (an architectural feature, as an arch or window) with foils (“small arcs in the traceries of arches, windows, etc.”).
   • All European architecture, bad and good, old and new, is derived from Greece through Rome, and coloured and perfected from the East. […] Now observe: those old Greeks gave the shaft; Rome gave the arch; the Arabs pointed and foliated the arch.1851, John Ruskin, “The Quarry”, in The Stones of Venice, volume I (The Foundations), London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, page 13
4. (obsolete, transitive) To beat (metal) into a foil or thin sheet.
   • [I]f Gold be foliated and held betvveen your Eye and the Light, the Light looks blue, and therefore maſſy Gold lets into its Body the blue-making rays to be reflected to and fro vvithin it till they be ſtopt and ſtifled, vvhilſt it reflects the yellovv-making outvvards, and thereby looks yellovv.1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “[The First Book of Opticks. Part II.] Prop[osition] X. Prob[lem] V. [Exper[iment] XVII.]”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours...
5. (intransitive) To split into layers or leaves.
6. (intransitive) Of a plant: to produce leaves.