Lily word meaning and definition

[noun] any liliaceous plant of the genus Lilium having showy pendulous flowers

\Lil"y\ (l[i^]l"[y^]), n.; pl. {Lilies} (-[i^]z). [AS. lilie, L. lilium, Gr. lei`rion. Cf. {Flower-de-luce}.] 1. (Bot.) 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. Note: There are nearly fifty species, all found in the North Temperate zone. {Lilium candidum} and {L. longiflorum} are the common white lilies of gardens; {L. Philadelphicum} is the wild red lily of the Atlantic States; {L. Chalcedonicum} is supposed to be the ``lily of the field'' in our Lord's parable; {L. auratum} is the great gold-banded lily of Japan. 2. (Bot.) 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. 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. {African lily} (Bot.), the blue-flowered {Agapanthus umbellatus}. {Atamasco lily} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Zephyranthes} ({Z. Atamasco}), having a white and pink funnelform perianth, with six petal-like divisions resembling those of a lily. --Gray. {Blackberry lily} (Bot.), the {Pardanthus Chinensis}, the black seeds of which form a dense mass like a blackberry. {Bourbon lily} (Bot.), {Lilium candidum}. See Illust. {Butterfly lily}. (Bot.) Same as {Mariposa lily}, in the Vocabulary. {Lily beetle} (Zool.), a European beetle ({Crioceris merdigera}) which feeds upon the white lily. {Lily daffodil} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Narcissus}, and its flower. {Lily encrinite} (Paleon.), a fossil encrinite, esp. {Encrinus liliiformis}. See {Encrinite}. {Lily hyacinth} (Bot.), 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} (Bot.), a low perennial herb ({Convallaria majalis}), having a raceme of nodding, fragrant, white flowers. {Lily pad}, the large floating leaf of the water lily. [U. S.] --Lowell. {Tiger lily} (Bot.), {Lilium tigrinum}, the sepals of which are blotched with black. {Turk's-cap lily} (Bot.), {Lilium Martagon}, a red lily with recurved sepals; also, the similar American lily, {L. superbum}. {Water lily} (Bot.), the {Nymph[ae]a}, a plant with floating roundish leaves, and large flowers having many petals, usually white, but sometimes pink, red, blue, or yellow. [See Illust. of {Nymph[ae]a}.]
\Lil"y\, n. (Auction Bridge) A royal spade; -- usually in pl. See {Royal spade}, below.

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