clover
Americannoun
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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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
My daughter is a Cavalier King Charles spaniel named Clover, and for the past couple of months, she’s had clipped to her collar an A.I. communication device known as the PetPhone.
From Slate • Jun. 20, 2026
“I’m bored. Take me out to play,” Clover informed me, her photograph appearing beside the words like an iMessage contact photo.
From Slate • Jun. 20, 2026
Clover Nelson, 20, from Leeds, secured a job in retail after three years of unemployment.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
Clover decided to try a new approach, going in person to talk with managers instead of sending in online applications and he says that's what landed him this job.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to support the crown jewel of Clover City.”
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.
