lily

1 of 2

noun

plural lilies
1
: 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
broadly : any of various plants of the lily family or of the related amaryllis or iris families
2
: any of various plants with showy flowers: such as
a
: a scarlet anemone (Anemone coronaria) of the Mediterranean region
3
lily-like adjective
or lilylike

lily

2 of 2

adjective

: resembling a lily in fairness, purity, or fragility
my lady's lily handJohn Keats

Examples of lily in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Lily: Certain types, particularly the Easter lily, are highly toxic to cats and can cause kidney failure. Sara Hansen, The Denver Post, 13 Dec. 2024 The annual Christmas Lights Trail is a must with its giant colour-changing lilies shimmering on the lake, sparkling tunnels, and brightly lit trees that reflect rainbows in the sky ( until 1 January 2025). Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Favorite foods include crinum lily, amaryllis and day lily plants, but they may be found on other ornamentals and edibles. Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2023 The standard version of miso soup might involve little more than soft tofu, rehydrated seaweed and a lily-pad suspension of scallions, but at home, Ando said, there are no rules. Eric Kim, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2022 See all Example Sentences for lily 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English lilie, from Old English, from Latin lilium

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lily was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near lily

Cite this Entry

“Lily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lily. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

lily

noun
ˈlil-ē
plural lilies
: any of a genus of herbs with leafy stems that grow from bulbs and have funnel-shaped flowers
also : any of various related plants

More from Merriam-Webster on lily

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