fleur-de-lys

[ flur-dl-ee, -ees, floor-; French flœr-duh-lees ]

noun

, plural fleurs-de-lys [flur-dl-, eez, fl, oo, r-, fl, œ, r, -d, uh, -, lees].

1. fleur-de-lis ( defs 1, 2 ).

fleur-de-lys

/ ˌflɜːdəˈliː /

noun

1. heraldry a charge representing a lily with three distinct petals
2. another name for iris

Word History and Origins

Origin of fleur-de-lys¹

C19: from Old French flor de lis , literally: lily flower

Example Sentences

Her tomb is said to be still extant, and to be distinguished by a fleur de lys impressed on it by command of the King.

From Project Gutenberg

They will be sure to have put up at the Fleur de Lys, it is the only hostelry where they could find decent accommodation.

From Project Gutenberg

The gland, which takes all intermediary forms between ball and point, has in the rhinoceros the shape of a gross fleur-de-lys.

From Project Gutenberg

Between them the hour is divided into quarters, the half hour being shown by a longer stroke, or an ornament like a fleur-de-lys.

From Project Gutenberg

It will be noticed that in the three marks of different members of 224 the family the fleur-de-lys appears.

From Project Gutenberg