Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Lily
Lil′y
(lĭl′y̆)
, Noun.
pl.
Lilies
(lĭl′ĭz)
. 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. ☞ There are nearly fifty species, all found in the North Temperate zone.
Lilium candidum
and Lilium longiflorum
are the common white lilies of gardens; Lilium Philadelphicum
is the wild red lily of the Atlantic States. Lilium Chalcedonicum
is supposed to be the “lily of the field” in our Lord’s parable; Lilium 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
(Zephyranthes 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, Lilium superbum
. Water lily
(Bot.)
, 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
.]Webster 1828 Edition
Lily
LIL'Y
,Noun.
Lily of the valley, a plant of the genus convallaria, with a monopetalous, bell-shaped corol, divided at the top into six segments.