canopy
noun
A canopy is like a big umbrella made out of trees! You know how an umbrella keeps you dry when it rains? Well, a canopy is kind of like that, except it's made out of the tops of trees instead of fabric.
When you look up at a group of trees in a forest, you'll notice that the leaves and branches at the very top create a sort of roof over everything below. This roof is called the canopy. It's like a big, green umbrella that provides shade and shelter for all kinds of animals that live in the forest, like birds, monkeys, and sloths.
Example
- The monkeys swung from tree to tree in the dense canopy of the rainforest.
- We set up our tent under the canopy of trees to stay dry during the storm.
- The gardener trimmed the lower branches of the trees to let more light into the garden beneath the canopy.