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.
any related plant of the genus Nuphar.
a plant of the water lily family.
the flower of any such plant.

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

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of water lily¹

First recorded in 1540–50

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Since 2008, he had been the director of the Claude Monet Foundation in Giverny, where Monet’s water lily paintings were produced.

From

There is some food aid, but many in the area survive by foraging for water lily roots and fish to supplement their rations.

From

While down in those murky depths he was harvesting the seeds of a type of water lily called euryale ferox.

From

He's holding a picture that shows how the lake used to look, with much of it covered with water lilies.

From

A Claude Monet painting of water lilies on a pond in Giverny, France, is up for auction at the Christie’s auction house in November and will fetch at least $65 million.

From

water level water lily family

Browse