IVY

I. noun (plural ivies) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English īfig; akin to Old High German ebah ~ Date: before 12th century a widely cultivated ornamental climbing or prostrate or sometimes shrubby chiefly Eurasian vine ( Hedera helix ) of the ginseng family with evergreen leaves, small yellowish flowers, and black berries, poison ~ , an Ivy League college, II. adjective Etymology: from the prevalence of ~-covered buildings on the campuses of older United States colleges Date: 1933 academic , Ivy League