gillyflower

or gil·li·flow·er

[ jil-ee-flou-er ]
/ ˈdʒɪl iˌflaʊ ər /

noun

Archaic. any of several fragrant flowers of the genus Dianthus, as the carnation or clove pink.
any of various other usually fragrant flowers, especially a stock, Matthiola incana, of the mustard family.

Origin of gillyflower

1300–50; alteration (by association with flower) of Middle English gilofre, geraflour < Old French gilofre, girofle < Latin caryophyllum < Greek karyóphyllon clove ( káryo(n) nut + phýllon leaf)

Words nearby gillyflower

gillion, gillnet, gillray, gills, gilly, gillyflower, gilman, gilman, charlotte p., gilolo, gilroy, gilson

Example sentences from the Web for gillyflower

British Dictionary definitions for gillyflower

gillyflower

gilliflower

/ (ˈdʒɪlɪˌflaʊə) /

noun

any of several plants having fragrant flowers, such as the stock and wallflower
an archaic name for carnation

Word Origin for gillyflower

C14: changed (through influence of flower) from gilofre, from Old French girofle, from Medieval Latin, from Greek karuophullon clove tree, from karuon nut + phullon leaf