water lily


noun

any of various aquatic plants of the genus Nymphaea, species of which have large, disklike, floating leaves and showy flowers, especially N. odorata, of America, or N. alba, of Europe. Compare water lily family.
any related plant of the genus Nuphar.
a plant of the water lily family.
the flower of any such plant.

Origin of water lily

First recorded in 1540–50

Example sentences from the Web for water lily

British Dictionary definitions for water lily

water lily

noun

any of various aquatic plants of the genus Nymphaea and related genera, of temperate and tropical regions, having large leaves and showy flowers that float on the surface of the water: family Nymphaeaceae
any of various similar and related plants, such as the yellow water lily