Lily

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈlɪli/
• Rhymes: -ɪli

Origin

Old English lilie, from Latin līlia, plural of līlium, from Ancient Greek λείριον, from Coptic (dial. Fayyumic) ϩⲗⲏⲣⲓ, variant of ϩⲣⲏⲣⲉ, from Demotic (ḥrry), from Egyptian

D2:D21-D21:X1-M2

ḥrr.t 'flower'. Perhaps also the root of Sanskrit हली/हलिनी, both also meaning lily.

Full definition of lily

Noun

1. Any of several flowers in the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae, which includes a great many ornamental species.
2. Any of several species of herbaceous flower which may or may not resemble the genus Lilium in some way, and which are not closely related to it or each other.
3. (heraldiccharge) The flower used as a heraldic charge; also commonly used to describe the fleur-de-lis.
4. The end of a compass needle that should point north, traditionally often ornamented with the figure of a lily or fleur-de-lis.
• unknown date Sir Thomas BrowneBut sailing further, it veers its lily to the west.

Derived terms

Adjective

1. (slang, derogatory) White (as a racial epithet).
• 1994, Colleen Faulkner, Captive"Can't you see I'm trying to save your lily ass?" "I don't want to be saved," Tess moaned as he hauled her up and into his lap with one beefy hand.

Anagrams

• illy
• yill