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• lily
  lily

  noun

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

  noun

  a female given name.

lily

¹ American  

[lil-ee] / ˈlɪl i /

noun

• lilies
  plural

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.

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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.

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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

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lily More Idioms  

1. see gild the lily.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• lily-like
  adjective
• lilylike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• lilies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lily

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lily Lily lilies

“A resort-style pool, tranquil lily ponds, meandering pathways, shaded terraces, and a full-size tennis court create moments of both recreation and quiet reflection, where the sounds of nature replace the pace of everyday life.”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

Two years ago, he turned several straggly islands off Miami into blooming lily pads by surrounding them with hot-pink fabric.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

It also said florists should open to sell fragrant lily of the valley, which is traditionally sold on Labour Day in France.

From Barron's ● May 1, 2026

Tables were dressed in green linens and had seasonal spring bouquets featuring butterfly ranunculus, phlox, and lily of the valley.

From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026

Lilya Litvyak got her ground crew to paint something even more personal on her Yak: a white lily, of course.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

ICU nurse Lily Ku said staff were learning "how to move the hospital beds down to the basement and make the transition."

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

Mello, who also portrayed Lily Esposito on Ryan Murphy’s first television series, “Popular,” has appeared in projects including “Nothing Sacred” and “Tortilla Soup.”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

There's Lily, the 18-year-old who finally gets her son Grayson his polio and diphtheria jabs.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

At the time, Collins’ five children — including “Emily in Paris” star Lily Collins — were called to his bedside for what they thought could be his final moments.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

Ignoring the aching feeling that I’m losing my best friends, I leave Lily with Camille and stride confidently out the front door.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Designed by Gaudí, the Nativity façade is both naturalistic and overflowing with natural imagery: lilies and palm trees, a tortoise and sea turtle, insects and frogs, sheep and ducks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

"Kank lived in a landscape of meandering rivers and streams with seasonal ponds, inhabited by aquatic plants such as water lilies and animals including fish, insects, and various molluscs," says Dr. Motta.

From Science Daily ● May 29, 2026

White roses and lilies surrounded the coffin as it was carried into the basilica to the sound of Mozart.

From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2026

I’ve seen chocolate lilies in the wild, but I had never seen a desert lily.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 30, 2025

Tomorrow I'll stay here, resting, camouflaging my backpack with mud, catching some of those little fish I saw as I sipped, digging up the roots of the pond lilies to make a nice meal.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins