fleur-de-lys

American  

[flur-dl-ee, -ees, floor-, flœr-duh-lees] / ˌflɜr dlˈi, -ˈis, ˌflʊər-, flœr dəˈlis /

noun

plural

fleurs-de-lys

1. fleur-de-lis.

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fleur-de-lys British  

/ ˌflɜːdəˈliː /

noun

1. heraldry a charge representing a lily with three distinct petals

2. another name for iris

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Etymology

Origin of fleur-de-lys

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

Example Sentences

The house of Anjou is promoted through its heraldry; the fleur-de-lys symbolises a resurgent France in its battles with the English.

From The Guardian • Apr. 17, 2020

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also revealed their royal monogram, which features an intertwining cursive "H" and "M" under a fleur-de-lys crown, prior to their wedding.

From Fox News • Oct. 2, 2018

Prior to Prince Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle, the couple revealed their royal monogram which features an intertwining cursive "H" and "M" under a fleur-de-lys crown.

From Fox News • Oct. 2, 2018

The off-white two-piece is up for auction at Braswell galleries in Connecticut, alongside the brown velvet embroidered fleur-de-lys jacket the musician wore during the film Imagine, made in 1971 with his wife Yoko Ono.

From The Guardian • Dec. 31, 2010

Already, things looked different—the fleur-de-lys pattern on her wash bag, the chipped plaster frame of the mirror, her face in it as she brushed her hair, all looked brighter, in sharper focus.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan