lily Meaning & Definition
What Does Lily Mean?
Lily is used as a noun meaning any of a genus (Lilium of the family Liliaceae, the lily family) of erect perennial leafy-stemmed bulbous herbs that are native to the temperate northern hemisphere and are widely cultivated for their showy flowers. It can also mean any of various plants of the lily family or of the related amaryllis or iris families. As an adjective, it means resembling a lily in fairness, purity, or fragility.
Quick Facts About Lily
| Part of speech | noun, adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈli-lē/ |
| Syllables | 2 |
| Plural | lilies |
Lily Definition (Noun)
- any of a genus (Lilium of the family Liliaceae, the lily family) of erect perennial leafy-stemmed bulbous herbs that are native to the temperate northern hemisphere and are widely cultivated for their showy flowers
- any of various plants of the lily family or of the related amaryllis or iris families
- any of various plants with showy flowers: such as
- a scarlet anemone (Anemone coronaria) of the Mediterranean region
- water lily
- calla lily
- fleur-de-lis
Lily as an Adjective
- resembling a lily in fairness, purity, or fragility
… my lady's lily hand …
Synonyms of Lily
The source does not list synonyms for this entry.
Lily synonyms and antonyms →Lily in a Sentence
… my lady's lily hand …
Word Forms & Grammar
lil·ies
lily-like adjective
lilies
lily
lily-like
lilylike
lily (plural lilies)
lily (not comparable)
Words That Rhyme With Lily
Origin of Lily
Origin 1: Middle English lilie, from Old English, from Latin lilium
Origin 2: From Middle English lilie, from Old English lilie, from Latin līlia, plural of līlium, from Ancient Greek λείριον (leírion). See there for more.
First Known Use
before 12th century
15th century
Pronouncing Lily
Lily is pronounced /ˈli-lē/ and has 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (li).