spider lily

American

noun

any of several plants having lilylike flowers with narrow petals, as those belonging to the genera Crinum, Hymenocallis, and Lycoris, of the amaryllis family.

Etymology

Origin of spider lily

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

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.

When designing the trip-pod like floorplan, Chicago-based firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill took inspiration from the hymenocallis, or spider lily, a regional desert flower with a central white bulb and six long, slender petals.

From National Geographic

Spanish moss drapes the trees, turtles sun themselves on stones and spider lily plants bloom with bright white flowers.

From Washington Times

It is called spiderwort, spider lily, ink flower, king’s crown, and various other names.

From Project Gutenberg

Spider lily has bright red glowers with long stamens that resemble spider legs.

From Southern Living

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023