plural lilies
1
: any of a genus (Lilium of the family Liliaceae, the lily family) of erect perennial leafy-stemmed bulbous herbs that are native to the temperate northern hemisphere and are widely cultivated for their showy flowers
broadly
: any of various plants of the lily family or of the related amaryllis or iris families
2
: any of various plants with showy flowers: such as
a
: a scarlet anemone (Anemone coronaria) of the Mediterranean region
b
c
: resembling a lily in fairness, purity, or fragility
my lady's lily hand—
John Keats
John KeatsExamples of lily in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
AFAR Media, 7 July 2025
With the right timing, travelers will be able to see a variety of blooms, including lupine, glacial lilies, and bitterroot, which is the state flower.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2025
Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2023
The standard version of miso soup might involve little more than soft tofu, rehydrated seaweed and a lily-pad suspension of scallions, but at home, Ando said, there are no rules.
—Eric Kim, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2022
See All Example Sentences for lily
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Noun
The trail is well maintained, with a steady, moderate climb that takes you through meadows and past fields of wildflowers (glacier lilies, lupine, and forget-me-nots, to name a few) during the summer months.
—AFAR Media, 7 July 2025
With the right timing, travelers will be able to see a variety of blooms, including lupine, glacial lilies, and bitterroot, which is the state flower.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2025
Adjective
Favorite foods include crinum lily, amaryllis and day lily plants, but they may be found on other ornamentals and edibles.
—Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2023
The standard version of miso soup might involve little more than soft tofu, rehydrated seaweed and a lily-pad suspension of scallions, but at home, Ando said, there are no rules.
—Eric Kim, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2022
See All Example Sentences for lily
Cite this Entry
“Lily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lily. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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