SINCE 1828
lily
noun
\ ˈli-lē
\
\
plural lilies
Definition of lily
(Entry 1 of 2)
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
lily
adjectiveDefinition of lily (Entry 2 of 2)
: resembling a lily in fairness, purity, or fragility
my lady's lily hand— John Keats
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Other Words from lily
Noun
lily-like
or lilylike \ ˈli-lē-ˌlīk
\
adjective
\
adjective
Examples of lily in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Balancing the grand piano and the guitars held aloft in their stands were an orange velvet couch, a side table with a vase of white callas lilies, and an easy chair half covered in a throw. — Chloe Schama, Vogue, "Patti Smith Stuns With “Words and Music” at New York’s Minetta Lane Theater," 24 Sep. 2018 Tying in to Easter, lilies also supposedly sprouted in the Garden of Gethsemane after Jesus' crucifixion. — Madison Alcedo, Country Living, "The Real Meaning Behind the Colors of Easter," 8 Mar. 2019 For example, mistletoe berries can kill an animal with just one or two bites, lilies can cause kidney failure and excess urination, and holly will have your pet with symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. — Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, "These Are The Most Pet-Friendly Plants For Your Home," 6 Mar. 2019 Otherwise known as Peruvian lilies, these long-lasting, attention-grabbing petals represent friendship and devotion, Law says. — Carly Orleach, Woman's Day, "How to Make Fresh Flowers Last Longer," 15 Feb. 2019 Her mother had created an English style garden on the outskirts of Cairo, with lawns and rose beds, lily ponds and pergola walks. — Stephanie Hanes, The Christian Science Monitor, "'Life in the Garden' lovingly recalls the place of gardens in an author's life," 14 June 2018 Joseph McLachlan, to trim the grass with scissors before arranging a bright vase of lilies. — New York Times, "Arlington Cemetery, Nearly Full, May Become More Exclusive," 28 May 2018 For the evening reception, Meghan changed from her boat-neck Givenchy wedding gown into a bespoke, lily-white Stella McCartney high-necked dress. — Katie Hunt, CNN, "Royal Family expresses thanks after Harry and Meghan's radical day," 20 May 2018 As for the grounds, beautifully landscaped gardens, a lily pond, brooks, bridges, and more than enough space to frolic await. — Lauren Ro, Curbed, "Enchanting “gingerbread house” estate wants $2.2M," 30 Mar. 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
But for the more immediate future, the ability to compete in lily-white districts (presumably without sacrificing any basic progressive commitments) could definitely help Democrats win and maintain a House majority. — Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "Lamb Win Could Point to Democratic Resurgence in Lily-white Districts," 14 Mar. 2018 While this year’s list of Golden Globes nominees isn’t as lily-white as, say, the Oscars typically are, the slate is still lacking inclusivity; out of 30 acting nominees in the film categories, just five are not white. — Yohana Desta, HWD, "Why Were Tiffany Haddish and Girls Trip Shut Out of the Golden Globes?," 11 Dec. 2017 Yams are a starchy edible root that is a relative of the lily family. — Terri Milligan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Is it a yam or a sweet potato?," 24 Sep. 2017 But every happy family in the kitschy illustrations is lily-white, signaling a restrictive environment, even if it's not declared as such. — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Suburbicon': Film Review | Venice 2017," 2 Sep. 2017 The small, lily-white, conservative rural school into which Alexie transferred as a boy became his haven. — Laura Miller, Slate Magazine, "Sherman Alexie’s terrific book is the latest entry in a burgeoning genre: memoirs of moms.," 23 June 2017 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 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 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 2017These 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.
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More Definitions for lily
lily
noun
English Language Learners Definition of lily
: a type of plant that has large white or colorful bell-shaped flowers
also
: the flower
See the full definition for lily in the English Language Learners Dictionary
lily
noun
\ ˈli-lē
\
\
plural lilies
Kids Definition of lily
: 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
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