lily

¹ American  

[lil-ee] / ˈlɪl i /

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.

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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

• lily-like adjective
• lilylike adjective

Etymology

Origin of lily

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

Example Sentences

Head to higher elevations above 2,000 feet where there is more moisture to see slopes brightened with desert lily, sand verbena and flowering Orcutt’s woody aster.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

Tim got a tattoo on his right shoulder of a bow wrapped around a passenger jet, and Sheri and Lydia each got a tattoo of a lily.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

When the ROV returns, there is an excited dash for the samples including seawater, sediment and a forearm-length sea lily coated with dripping orange goo.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

You could almost hear the high-fives being exchanged; you could almost smell the medium-high-end hair products and lily of the valley-scented body spray.

From Salon • Jan. 25, 2026

This year a trumpet vine leaned eagerly against a cool lily, pointy leaves fought to see who could take over the steps, purples and blood reds argued loudly with each other.

From "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett