cinquefoil

American  

[singk-foil] / ˈsɪŋkˌfɔɪl /

noun

1. 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.

2. Also called quinquefoil, quintefoil.  Architecture. a panellike ornament consisting of five lobes, divided by cusps, radiating from a common center.

3. Heraldry. a charge in the form of a five-leaved clover.

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cinquefoil British  

/ ˈsɪŋkˌfɔɪl /

noun

1. any plant of the N temperate rosaceous genus Potentilla, typically having five-lobed compound leaves

2. an ornamental carving in the form of five arcs arranged in a circle and separated by cusps

3. heraldry a charge representing a five-petalled flower

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Etymology

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”