From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Lily \Lil"y\ (l[i^]l"[y^]), n.; pl. {Lilies} (l[i^]l"[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.
[1913 Webster]
Note: 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.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
But sailing further, it veers its lily to the west.
--Sir T.
Browne.
[1913 Webster]
4. (Auction Bridge) A royal spade; -- usually in pl. See
{Royal spade}, below.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
{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 {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}.]
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
lily
n 1: any liliaceous plant of the genus Lilium having showy
pendulous flowers
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