lily

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Any of several flowers in the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae, which includes a great many ornamental species.

   The engagement photos were set in a leafy bower festooned with pink and white roses, anemones, lilies and delphinium, like something straight out of an enchanted garden.

2. 2
   noun

   The end of a compass needle that should point north, traditionally often ornamented with the figure of a lily or fleur-de-lis.

   But sailing further, it veers its lily to the west.

3. 3
   adj

   White (as a racial epithet).

   "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.

4. 4
   name

   A female given name from English, popular around 1900 and currently returning to favor.

   "Poor little thing! She is very wee and frail, isn't she? Only two months old. We came away from the north, as soon as I was able to travel. She is called Lily." I remembered Horace having once told me that his mother's name had been Lilias.

5. 5
   noun

   any liliaceous plant of the genus Lilium having showy pendulous flowers

6. 6
   noun

   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.

7. 7
   noun

   The flower used as a heraldic charge; also commonly used to describe the fleur-de-lis.

8. 8
   noun

   A royal spade in auction bridge.

Etymology

From Middle English lilie, from Old English lilie, from Latin līlia, plural of līlium, from Ancient Greek λείριον (leírion). See there for more.