cinquefoil
[ singk-foil ]
/ ˈsɪŋkˌfɔɪl /
noun
any of several plants belonging to the genus Potentilla, of the rose family, having yellow, red, or white five-petaled flowers, as P. reptans(creeping cinquefoil ), of the Old World, or P. argentea(silvery cinquefoil ), of North America.
Also called quinquefoil, quintefoil. Architecture. a panellike ornament consisting of five lobes, divided by cusps, radiating from a common center.
Heraldry. a charge in the form of a five-leaved clover.
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Origin of cinquefoil
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English sink foil, from Middle French cincfoille, from Latin quīnque folia “five leaves,” translation of Greek pentáphyllon “cinquefoil,” noun use of adjective pentáphyllos “five-petalled”
Words nearby cinquefoil
cinquain, cinque, cinquecentist, cinquecento, cinquedea, cinquefoil, Cinque Ports, Cinque Terre, Cintra, Cinzano, CIO
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
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British Dictionary definitions for cinquefoil
cinquefoil
/ (ˈsɪŋkˌfɔɪl) /
noun
any plant of the N temperate rosaceous genus Potentilla, typically having five-lobed compound leaves
an ornamental carving in the form of five arcs arranged in a circle and separated by cusps
heraldry a charge representing a five-petalled flower
Word Origin for cinquefoil
C13 sink foil, from Old French cincfoille, from Latin quinquefolium plant with five leaves, translating Greek pentaphullon from pente five + phullon leaf
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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