English
lily
Lily comes from Middle English lilie ‘a representation of a lily’, and goes back to Ancient Greek λείριον.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλείριονleírion‘Madonna lily’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElīlia
- Old Englishc. 450–1150lilie‘a lily’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a representation of a lily’
- Englishearliest quotation 1646lily
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλείριονleírion‘Madonna lily’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElīlia
- Old Englishc. 450–1150lilie‘a lily’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a representation of a lily’
- Englishearliest quotation 1646lily
Earliest quotation: 1646, Thomas Browne: “But sailing further, it veers its lily to the…”
Every English word from Ancient Greek λείριον
Today it means
noun Any of several flowers in the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae, which includes a great many ornamental species.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek λείριον / lily