lily

¹

[lil-ee]

noun

plural

lilies 

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.

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.

Lily

²

Or Lil·ly

[lil-e]

noun

1. a female given name.

lily

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• lilylike adjective
• lily-like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lily¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of lily¹

Old English, from Latin līlium; related to Greek leirion lily

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. gild the lily. gild.

see gild the lily.

Example Sentences

Not many of us had “Jeffrey Epstein” or “Ghislaine Maxwell” on our bingo cards — to mix metaphors while gilding the lily.

From Salon

Bushwhacking through wildflowers along his property line on a recent day, Williams, Gilbert and the Kreiders looked out on Twin Lake, its surface carpeted in yellow pond lilies and dotted with nesting birds.

From Salon

And for Maya, it always was like, “Put two more things on before you go. Gild the lily.”

From Los Angeles Times

The line brings to life the garden’s delicate wildflowers and rippling fountains in playful, painterly prints, featuring blossoming orange poppies and deep purple lily pads.

From Los Angeles Times

This class of “carrion flowers” includes many species, but few are as charismatic as Rafflesia arnoldii, also known as the “stinking corpse lily,” which also holds the record as the world’s largest flower.

From Salon