Lily
/ˈlɪl.i/noun
A flowering plant of the genus Lilium, often with large, showy blooms.
Did you know?The English word ultimately comes from the Greek *leírion* (a lily), and the plant’s long history in Mediterranean ritual and art helped make it one of the most symbolically loaded flowers in the world.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leh₁i- / *lī-
“An uncertain ancient root proposed for ‘lily’-like plants, but not securely established.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
λείριον (leírion)
“A lily or lily-like flower.”
Late Latin
Latin
lilium
“Lily.”
Old English
English
lilie
“Lily.”
Middle English
English
lilie
“Lily.”
Modern English
English
lily
“A lily; by extension, something pure, fair, or elegant.”