Leafless describes a tree, plant, or branch that has no leaves on it. In winter, many deciduous trees stand leafless against the sky, their bare branches creating intricate patterns you can't see when they're covered with summer foliage. An oak or maple might be thick with green leaves in July but completely leafless by December.

Trees lose their leaves for different reasons. In cold climates, trees drop their leaves in autumn to survive freezing temperatures, standing leafless until spring arrives. In very dry regions, some trees become leafless during droughts to conserve water. A diseased or dying tree might also lose its leaves and remain leafless even during the growing season.

The word can describe individual branches too. After a storm breaks off twigs, you might notice several leafless branches among the tree's healthy, leaf-covered limbs. Gardeners sometimes prune away leafless or dead branches to help the rest of the plant thrive.

While a leafless tree might look bare or dormant, it's often just resting, gathering energy in its roots underground and preparing for the explosion of new growth when warmer weather returns.