daylily

noun

day·​lily ˈdā-ˌli-lē How to pronounce daylily (audio)
: any of various Eurasian perennial herbs (genus Hemerocallis) of the lily family that have short-lived flowers resembling lilies and are widespread in cultivation and as escapes

Examples of daylily in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Peonies, daylilies and daffodils all fall into this category. Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 19 Jan. 2024 See tree peonies, daylilies, gingko and mulberry trees. Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 The pollinator-friendly plant gets about 2 feet tall and prefers a sunny spot in Zones 4-9. 05 'Apricot Sparkles' Daylily This unusually colored daylily (Hemerocallis sp.), part of Oakes's Rebloom Collection, blooms early in summer and continues putting on a show for several weeks. Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Jan. 2024 Some are pretty much indestructible — like daylilies. Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 8 Sep. 2023 For example, daylilies are perennials, and petunias are annuals. Kate McGregor, House Beautiful, 2 Aug. 2023 In stark contrast, all is quiet over the daisies, daylilies, and hostas (except for the deer, which like nothing better than to chew hostas down to the ground at night). Susan Brownstein, cleveland, 25 July 2023 Each of the flowers lives only for a day or two, like a daylily, but the plants will keep opening new blooms over a long period, sometimes from July to September. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2023 Plants that require insect pollinators include an array of beautiful flowers including annuals such as viola, geranium, lobelia, begonia, impatiens, and perennials such as daylilies, geum, and heuchera. Arricca Elin Sansone, House Beautiful, 22 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'daylily.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of daylily was in 1597

Dictionary Entries Near daylily

Cite this Entry

“Daylily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/daylily. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

daylily

noun
day·​lily ˈdā-ˌlil-ē How to pronounce daylily (audio)
: any of various plants related to the lilies that have short-lived flowers and are widespread in cultivation and in the wild after escaping from cultivation

More from Merriam-Webster on daylily

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