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garland

Apparel
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A wreath or string of flowers, leaves, or other materials, worn on the head or hung as decoration, symbolizing honor, victory, and the beautiful but perishable nature of life.

Detailed Definition
The garland is closely related to the chaplet but often larger and can be worn not only on the head but also draped over the shoulders or hung around a room. In ancient Greek and Roman poetry, the garland is the prize for athletic and poetic victories, woven from laurel, olive, or pine. In English Renaissance verse, the garland appears in pastoral idylls and in songs of love and courtship. Its perishable materials make it a poignant emblem of temporal glory—the same flowers that bloom today will wither tomorrow. Poets also use the garland to evoke communal celebration, as in May Day festivities or wedding processions. Its woven structure suggests interconnection, community, and the joining of disparate elements into a harmonious whole.
Example
Example in poetry:
"I seek with garlands to redress that wrong" (Andrew Marvell, "The Coronet"); "The garland's flowers were already wilting before the feast began"; "She wove a garland of myrtle and placed it on his head like a promise"; "The garland's laurel leaves rustled with the whisper of victory"; "He wore the garland of the poet, though the poems had long been forgotten"; "The garland's colors blazed and faded in a single afternoon"
Additional Notes
The garland is closely related to the chaplet but often larger and can be worn not only on the head but also draped over the shoulders or hung around a room. In ancient Greek and Roman poetry, the garland is the prize for athletic and poetic victories, woven from laurel, olive, or pine. In English Renaissance verse, the garland appears in pastoral idylls and in songs of love and courtship. Its perishable materials make it a poignant emblem of temporal glory—the same flowers that bloom today will wither tomorrow. Poets also use the garland to evoke communal celebration, as in May Day festivities or wedding processions. Its woven structure suggests interconnection, community, and the joining of disparate elements into a harmonious whole. Related terms include wreath, chaplet, and crown. Students should note the garland's associations with both victory and transience, and its role in pastoral and celebratory verse.
Also Known As
floral wreath chaplet of flowers festoon crown correll
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