water lily

noun

: any of various aquatic plants (especially genera Nymphaea and Nuphar of the family Nymphaeaceae, the water-lily family) with floating leaves and usually showy flowers
broadly : an aquatic plant (such as a water hyacinth) with showy flowers

Examples of water lily in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The water lily, a symbol of purity and elegance, was the thread through many of spring’s designs. WWD, 23 Sep. 2024 His famed water lilies required the careful attention of up to six gardeners, and needed to be prepared each morning before the artist sat down to paint. Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 6 Sep. 2024 Her other excursions included a boat ride with a glass of champagne, exploring urban alleyways lined with bars and neon signs, and taking in a peaceful field of water lilies. Marina Watts, Peoplemag, 16 Aug. 2024 Robert McCulloch built the fountain, which shoots water from a concrete water lily sculpture from a manmade lake, in 1970. Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 9 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for water lily 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'water lily.' 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

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of water lily was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near water lily

Cite this Entry

“Water lily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20lily. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

water lily

noun
: any of a family of water plants with rounded floating leaves and usually showy flowers

More from Merriam-Webster on water lily

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