Standard Lemma guide

pruning

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈpɹuːnɪŋ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P R UW1 N IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A removal of excess material from a tree or shrub.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Something obtained by pruning, as a twig.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A method of enumeration that allows the cutting out of parts of a decision tree.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: computer, computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, science, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

present participle and gerund of prune

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

the act of trimming a plant

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: trim, trimming, clipping

6

noun

Meaning 6

something that has been pruned off of a plant

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cutting

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English prune Proto-Germanic *-ungō Old English -ung Middle English -ynge English -ing English pruning From prune + -ing.

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: poda — action of pruning
  • Czech: prořezávání — action of pruning
  • Galician: poda — action of pruning
  • German: reduzieren — action of pruning
  • Greek: κλάδεμα (kládema) — action of pruning
  • Norwegian Bokmål: beskjæring — action of pruning
  • Portuguese: poda — action of pruning
  • Russian: проре́живание (proréživanije) — action of pruning
  • Russian: обрезка растений (obrezka rastenij) — action of pruning
  • Serbo-Croatian: orezivanje — action of pruning
  • Spanish: poda — action of pruning
  • Spanish: podada — action of pruning
  • Spanish: podadura — action of pruning
  • Spanish: podazón — action of pruning
  • Swedish: beskärning — action of pruning
  • Tagalog: hitatag — action of pruning
  • Czech: prořezávání — method of enumeration
  • Serbo-Croatian: pruniranje — method of enumeration