cinquefoil

[ singk-foil ]

noun

1. any of several plants belonging to the genus Potentilla, of the rose family, having yellow, red, or white five-petaled flowers, as P. reptans creeping cinquefoil, of the Old World, or P. argentea silvery cinquefoil, of North America.
2. Also called quinquefoil, quintefoil. Architecture. a panellike ornament consisting of five lobes, divided by cusps, radiating from a common center.
3. Heraldry. a charge in the form of a five-leaved clover.

cinquefoil

/ ˈsɪŋkˌfɔɪl /

noun

1. any plant of the N temperate rosaceous genus Potentilla, typically having five-lobed compound leaves
2. an ornamental carving in the form of five arcs arranged in a circle and separated by cusps
3. heraldry a charge representing a five-petalled flower

Word History and Origins

Origin of cinquefoil¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English sink foil, from Middle French cincfoille, from Latin quīnque folia “five leaves,” translation of Greek pentáphyllon “cinquefoil,” noun use of adjective pentáphyllos “five-petalled”

Word History and Origins

Origin of cinquefoil¹

C13 sink foil, from Old French cincfoille, from Latin quinquefolium plant with five leaves, translating Greek pentaphullon from pente five + phullon leaf

Example Sentences

For Potentilla, or cinquefoil, it’s a more industrial approach.

From Seattle Times

He points to clumps of bunchgrass interspersed with geraniums, cinquefoils, lichen, and patches of bare soil.

From The Guardian

Vollmer’s research on the dwarf mountain cinquefoil seeks to provide evidence of the plant cloning itself by producing seeds without fertilization, or of genetic diversity and its evolution.

From Washington Times

Peak season finds meadows brimming with avalanche lilies, pink heather, western pasqueflowers, lupine, scarlet paintbrush and bright yellow cinquefoil, all with a backdrop of cascading waterfalls and sparkling glaciers.

From Washington Post

And when I explained that she had found it while digging for cinquefoil root—which we used on open sores—he seemed quite interested.

From Literature