clover
Americannoun
plural
clovers,plural
clover-
any of various plants of the genus Trifolium, of the legume family, having trifoliolate leaves and dense flower heads, many species of which, as T. pratense, are cultivated as forage plants.
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any of various plants of allied genera, as melilot.
idioms
noun
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any plant of the leguminous genus Trifolium, having trifoliate leaves and dense flower heads. Many species, such as red clover, white clover, and alsike, are grown as forage plants
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any of various similar or related plants
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another name for melilot
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another name for alfilaria
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informal in a state of ease or luxury
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of clover
before 900; Middle English clovere, Old English clāfre; akin to German Klee
Compare meaning
How does clover compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A clover is a small plant with bright green leaves and white or purple flowers. It's considered good luck to find a four-leaf clover! Most clover features clusters of three rounded leaves, and very rarely there are four. Because it's so uncommon to find a four-leaf clover, it's become a symbol of luck. And just imagine how lucky the even rarer five- and six-leaf clovers are! The clover plant produces pretty little flowers, and while it's sometimes considered a weed, it's also commonly included in grassy lawns for its bright color and heartiness.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Charles Clover, co-founder of conservation charity Blue Marine Foundation, said overfishing was a "crisis" that has been "ignored for too long".
From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026
In 2018, Hemsley used an entity called Clover Fields Enterprises to make his investment in CARD, the autism-therapy company, according to a court document.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026
Fiserv has an attractive blend of stable free cash flow from its bank business and potential continued growth from a fintech business called Clover.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 9, 2025
Popular Japanese girl idol group Momoiro Clover Z, who were due to perform at the same event Saturday, were also affected, it said.
From Barron's • Nov. 30, 2025
I had no understanding of how small Clover City was, but, to me, this was where all the glamorous people lived.
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
