transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈfō-lē-ij also ]
-lyij; ÷ˈfō-lij, ÷ˈfȯi-lij noun
Etymology: Middle French fuellage, from foille leaf — more at foil
Date: 1598
1. : a representation of leaves, flowers, and branches for architectural ornamentation
2. : the aggregate of leaves of one or more plants
3. : a cluster of leaves, flowers, and branches
• fo·liaged -lē-ijd also -lyijd; ÷ˈfō-lijd, ÷ˈfȯi- adjective
Usage:
The disyllabic pronunciation ˈfō-lij is very common. Some commentators insist that foliage requires a trisyllabic pronunciation because of its spelling, but words of a similar pattern such as carriage and marriage do not fall under their prescription. The pronunciation ˈfȯi-lij is disapproved because it suggests the transposition of the l and i in the spelling. It is not as common as ˈfō-lij and may be associated with the nonstandard spelling foilage.