Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Lily

Lil′y

(lĭl′y̆)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Lilies
(lĭl′ĭz)
.
[AS.
lilie
, L.
lilium
, Gr.
λείριον
. Cf.
Flower-de-luce
.]
1.
(Bot.)
A plant and flower of the genus
Lilium
, endogenous bulbous plants, having a regular perianth of six colored pieces, six stamens, and a superior three-celled ovary.
☞ There are nearly fifty species, all found in the North Temperate zone.
Lilium candidum
and
Lilium longiflorum
are the common white lilies of gardens;
Lilium Philadelphicum
is the wild red lily of the Atlantic States.
Lilium Chalcedonicum
is supposed to be the “lily of the field” in our Lord’s parable;
Lilium auratum
is the great gold-banded lily of Japan.
2.
(Bot.)
A name given to handsome flowering plants of several genera, having some resemblance in color or form to a true lily, as
Pancratium
,
Crinum
,
Amaryllis
,
Nerine
, etc.
3.
That end of a compass needle which should point to the north; – so called as often ornamented with the figure of a lily or fleur-de-lis.
But sailing further, it veers its
lily
to the west.
Sir T. Browne.
African lily
(Bot.)
,
the blue-flowered
Agapanthus umbellatus
.
Atamasco lily
(Bot.)
,
a plant of the genus
Zephyranthes
(
Zephyranthes Atamasco
), having a white and pink funnelform perianth, with six petal-like divisions resembling those of a lily.
Gray.
Blackberry lily
(Bot.)
,
the
Pardanthus Chinensis
, the black seeds of which form a dense mass like a blackberry.
Bourbon lily
(Bot.)
,
Lilium candidum
. See Illust.
Butterfly lily
.
(Bot.)
Same as
Mariposa lily
, in the Vocabulary.
Lily beetle
(Zool.)
,
a European beetle (
Crioceris merdigera
) which feeds upon the white lily.
Lily daffodil
(Bot.)
,
a plant of the genus
Narcissus
, and its flower.
Lily encrinite
(Paleon.)
,
a fossil encrinite, esp.
Encrinus liliiformis
. See
Encrinite
.
Lily hyacinth
(Bot.)
,
a plant of the genus
Hyacinthus
.
Lily iron
,
a kind of harpoon with a detachable head of peculiar shape, used in capturing swordfish.
Lily of the valley
(Bot.)
,
a low perennial herb (
Convallaria majalis
), having a raceme of nodding, fragrant, white flowers.
Lily pad
,
the large floating leaf of the water lily.
[U. S.]
Lowell.
Tiger lily
(Bot.)
,
Lilium tigrinum
, the sepals of which are blotched with black.
Turk's-cap lily
(Bot.)
Lilium Martagon
, a red lily with recurved sepals; also, the similar American lily,
Lilium superbum
.
Water lily
(Bot.)
,
the
Nymphæa
, a plant with floating roundish leaves, and large flowers having many petals, usually white, but sometimes pink, red, blue, or yellow. [See Illust. of
Nymphæa
.]

Webster 1828 Edition


Lily

LIL'Y

,
Noun.
[L. lilium; Gr.] A genus of plants of many species, which are all bulbous-rooted, herbaceous perennials, producing bell-shaped, hexapetalous flowers of great beauty and variety of colors.
Lily of the valley, a plant of the genus convallaria, with a monopetalous, bell-shaped corol, divided at the top into six segments.

Definition 2024


Lily

Lily

See also: lily

English

Proper noun

Lily

  1. A female given name. Popular around 1900 and currently returning to favor.
    • 1864 Frances Eleanor Trollope: The Tale of Aunt Margaret's Trouble. All the Year Round, Aug.11th, 1866, page 100:
      "Poor little thing! She is very wee and frail, isn't she? Only two months old. We came away from the north, as soon as I was able to travel. She is called Lily."
      I remembered Horace having once told me that his mother's name had been Lilias.
    • 2001 Catherine Coulter: Hemlock Bay. Jove, 2002. ISBN 0515133302 page 57:
      "Lily is such a romantic name. It sounds to me like soft music; it's the sort of name to make one dream of fanciful things."
      Lily smiled. " It's my grandmother's name. Coincidence, maybe, but she grew the most beautiful lilies."

See also

Translations

Anagrams

lily

lily

See also: Lily

English

A lily plant

Noun

lily (plural lilies)

A floral arrangement containing white lilies in Wesley Methodist Church, Singapore
  1. Any of several flowers in the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae, which includes a great many ornamental species.
  2. Any of several species of herbaceous flower which may or may not resemble the genus Lilium in some way, and which are not closely related to it or each other.
  3. (heraldry) The flower used as a heraldic charge; also commonly used to describe the fleur-de-lis.
  4. The end of a compass needle that should point north, traditionally often ornamented with the figure of a lily or fleur-de-lis.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Sir Thomas Browne
      But sailing further, it veers its lily to the west.
  5. (card games, chiefly plural) A royal spade in auction bridge.

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

lily (not comparable)

  1. (slang, derogatory) White (as a racial epithet).
    • 1994, Colleen Faulkner, Captive
      "Can't you see I'm trying to save your lily ass?" "I don't want to be saved," Tess moaned as he hauled her up and into his lap with one beefy hand.

Anagrams