Lil·y n.; pl. Lilies
 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.
 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.
 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.
 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.
    But sailing further, it veers its lily to the west.   --Sir T. Browne.
 4. Auction Bridge A royal spade; -- usually in pl. See Royal spade, below.
 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 Nymphæa, a plant with floating roundish leaves, and large flowers having many petals, usually white, but sometimes pink, red, blue, or yellow. [See Illust. of Nymphæa.]
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