D defs.my
Menu ☰
Entry 4 senses Webster, 1913

Lily

/(lĭl"y̆)/ · Lil·y · IPA /ˈlɪli/
01 n. A plant and flower of the genus Lilium, endogenous bulbous plants, having a regular perianth of six colored pieces, six stamens, and a supe…
pl. Lilies ((lĭl"ĭz))
  1. 1.
    A plant and flower of the genus Lilium, endogenous bulbous plants, having a regular perianth of six colored pieces, six stamens, and a superior three-celled ovary.(Bot.)
  2. 2.
    A name given to handsome flowering plants of several genera, having some resemblance in color or form to a true lily, as Pancratium, Crinum, Amaryllis, Nerine, etc.(Bot.)
  3. 3.
    That end of a compass needle which should point to the north; -- so called as often ornamented with the figure of a lily or fleur-de-lis.
    “But sailing further, it veers its lily to the west.” — Sir T. Browne.
  4. 4.
    A royal spade; -- usually in pl. See Royal spade, below.(Auction Bridge) See: Royal spade
Phrases & compounds
African lily — the blue-flowered Agapanthus umbellatus.
Atamasco lily — a plant of the genus Zephyranthes (Zephyranthes Atamasco), having a white and pink funnelform perianth, with six petal-like divisions resembling those of a lily.
Blackberry lily — the Pardanthus Chinensis, the black seeds of which form a dense mass like a blackberry.
Bourbon lily — Lilium candidum. See Illust.
Butterfly lily — Same as Mariposa lily, in the Vocabulary.
Lily beetle — a European beetle (Crioceris merdigera) which feeds upon the white lily.
Lily daffodil — a plant of the genus Narcissus, and its flower.
Lily encrinite — a fossil encrinite, esp. Encrinus liliiformis. See Encrinite.
Lily hyacinth — a plant of the genus Hyacinthus.
Lily iron — a kind of harpoon with a detachable head of peculiar shape, used in capturing swordfish.
Lily of the valley — a low perennial herb (Convallaria majalis), having a raceme of nodding, fragrant, white flowers.
Lily pad — the large floating leaf of the water lily.
Tiger lily — Lilium tigrinum, the sepals of which are blotched with black.
Turk's-cap lily — Lilium Martagon, a red lily with recurved sepals; also, the similar American lily, Lilium superbum.
Water lily — the Nymphæa, a plant with floating roundish leaves, and large flowers having many petals, usually white, but sometimes pink, red, blue, or yellow. [See Illust. of Nymphæa.]