lily

¹ American  

[lil-ee] / ˈlɪl i /

noun

plural

lilies

1. any scaly-bulbed plant of the genus Lilium, having showy, funnel-shaped or bell-shaped flowers.

2. the flower or the bulb of such a plant.

3. any of various related or similar plants or their flowers, as the mariposa lily or the calla lily.

4. fleur-de-lis, especially as the symbol of France.

5. Bowling. a split in which the five, seven, and ten pins remain standing.

---

adjective

1. white as a lily.

   her lily hands.

2. delicately fair.

   a lily maiden.

3. pure; unsullied.

   the lily truth.

4. pale; fragile; weak.

idioms

1. gild the lily. gild.

Lily ² American  

[lil-e] / ˈlɪl ɛ /

Or Lilly

noun

1. a female given name.

---

lily British  

/ ˈlɪlɪ /

noun

1. any liliaceous perennial plant of the N temperate genus Lilium, such as the Turk's-cap lily and tiger lily, having scaly bulbs and showy typically pendulous flowers

2. the bulb or flower of any of these plants

3. any of various similar or related plants, such as the water lily, plantain lily, and day lily

---

lily More Idioms  

1. see gild the lily.

---

Other Word Forms

• lily-like adjective
• lilylike adjective

Etymology

Origin of lily

before 1000; Middle English, Old English lilie < Latin līlium; compare Greek leírion

Example Sentences

Some workers use the term “lily padding” to describe career moves that are more about finding safe landing spots, or learning skills to become more employable, than about scoring bigger paychecks.

From The Wall Street Journal

Head to higher elevations above 2,000 feet where there is more moisture to see slopes brightened with desert lily, sand verbena and flowering Orcutt’s woody aster.

From Los Angeles Times

The lily is one of the first flowers to bloom in spring.

From Los Angeles Times

This morning the crappies were best in close to shore and we caught seven or eight good ones by hanging right on the edge of the lily pads and casting out to the deeper side.

From Literature

“She had this big, beautiful white calla lily in her hair,” Vicioso says.

From Los Angeles Times