lily

play

noun \ ˈli-lē \

Updated on: 11 Sep 2017

Definition of lily

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 :water lily

c :calla lily

3 :fleur-de-lis 2

—

lily-like

or lilylike play \ˈli-lē-ˌlīk\ adjective

See lily defined for English-language learners

See lily defined for kids

Recent Examples of lily from the Web

Plants that bloom in spring or early summer, such as woodland phlox, day lilies and daffodils, are best divided in early fall.

— beth botts, chicagotribune.com, "Time is right to transplant, divide perennials," 29 Aug. 2017
But the one thing that hasn’t changed has been that original planting of Tom’s oxblood lilies.

— neil sperry, star-telegram, "Oxblood lilies add a dramatic, magical touch to flower beds," 24 Aug. 2017
Popular varieties like daffodil, iris, lily-of-the-valley, ivy, and even mistletoe are poisonous when consumed, according to the National Capital Poison Center.

— beth anne macaluso, Redbook, "16 Common Household Items That Could Kill You," 9 Aug. 2017
When a small dog got caught among the weeds and lily pads in a local lagoon, two Milwaukee police officers sprang into action.

— ashley luthern, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee officers rescue a dog — twice — from the lagoon at McGovern Park," 6 July 2017
In years past, attendees might have glimpsed a faux alligator lurking among water lilies or a dragon standing over a cauldron full of flowers.

— cynthia billhartz gregorian, kansascity.com, "Focusing on fountains, fish, frogs and flowers," 2 July 2017
The late Lin Onus's paintings depict water lilies -- the habitat of the southern corroboree frog, of which there are now fewer than 100 in the world.

— leanne mirandilla, CNN, "Indigenous art lights up the Sydney Opera House," 2 July 2017
By Gemma and Andrew Ingalls Stroll through a garden of roses--plus amaryllises, lilies of the valley, peonies, poppies, daffodils and bleeding hearts.

— lucy feldman, Time, "These 16 Coffee Table Books Are All You Need for a Staycation," 30 June 2017
And that floppy, weirdly heavy rubber frog that somersaults toward the rotating lily pads?

— Time, "Where Did America's Summer Jobs Go?," 29 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lily.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of lily

Middle English lilie, from Old English, from Latin lilium

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

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lily

adjective

Definition of lily

:resembling a lily in fairness, purity, or fragility

my lady's lily hand
—John Keats

Recent Examples of lily from the Web

The leaves resemble little lily pads popping up on stems like something out of Wonderland.

— kenneth setzer, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Fairchild's Tropical Garden Column: What’s that weed? Meet marsh pennywort," 4 Aug. 2017
Other plants that should work include creeping lily turf, pachysandra and yellow archangel.

— tim johnson, chicagotribune.com, "What's the best grass, ground cover for shady lawns?," 5 June 2017
The recipe calls for millet and barley, as well as yam, lily root, and traces of Job's tears, a type of grass native to Southeast Asia.

— avery thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Stanford Students Brew Beer from 5000-Year-Old Recipe," 8 Feb. 2017

First Known Use of lily

15th century

LILY Defined for English Language Learners

lily

play

noun

Definition of lily for English Language Learners

: a type of plant that has large white or colorful bell-shaped flowers; also : the flower

LILY Defined for Kids

lily

play

noun \ ˈli-lē \

Definition of lily for Students

plural lilies

:a plant (as the Easter lily or the tiger lily ) that grows from a bulb and has a leafy stem and showy funnel-shaped flowers

Learn More about lily

See words that rhyme with lily Spanish Central: Translation of lily Nglish: Translation of lily for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lily for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lily

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Definition of lily

lily-like

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