n. (pl. -ies) 1 a any bulbous plant of the genus Lilium with large trumpet-shaped often spotted flowers on a tall slender stem, e.g. the madonna lily and tiger lily. b any of several other plants of the family Liliaceae with similar flowers, e.g. the African lily. c the water lily. 2 a person or thing of special whiteness or purity. 3 a heraldic fleur-de-lis. 4 (attrib.) a delicately white (a lily hand). b pallid. Phrases and idioms lily-livered cowardly. lily of the valley any liliaceous plant of the genus Convallaria, with oval leaves in pairs and racemes of white bell-shaped fragrant flowers. lily-pad a floating leaf of a water lily. lily-white 1 as white as a lily. 2 faultless. Derivatives lilied adj. Etymology: OE lilie f. L lilium prob. f. Gk leirion ...
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I. noun (plural lilies) Etymology: Middle English lilie, from Old English, from Latin lilium Date: before 12th century 1. any of a genus (Lilium of the family Liliaceae, the ~ family) of erect perennial leafy-stemmed bulbous herbs that are native to the temperate northern hemisphere and are widely cultivated for their showy flowers; broadly any of various plants of the ~ family or of the related amaryllis or iris families 2. any of various plants with showy flowers: as a. a scarlet anemone (Anemone coronaria) of the Mediterranean region b. water ~ c. calla ~ 3. fleur-de-lis 2 II. adjective Date: 15th century resembling a ~ in fairness, purity, or fragility my lady's ~ hand — John Keats ...
~ n one of several types of plant with large bell-shaped flowers of various colours, especially white (- see also gild the lily gild (3), water lily) ...