water lily

/ˈwɑɾər ˈlɪli/

/ˈwɔtə ˈlɪli/

Other forms: water lilies

Definitions of water lily

1. noun

   an aquatic plant of the family Nymphaeaceae
   types:

   Nymphaea odorata, fragrant water lily, pond lily, water nymph

   a water lily having large leaves and showy fragrant flowers that float on the water; of temperate and tropical regions

   European white lily, Nymphaea alba

   a water lily with white flowers

   Egyptian water lily, Nymphaea lotus, lotus, white lily, white lotus

   white Egyptian lotus: water lily of Egypt to southeastern Africa; held sacred by the Egyptians

   Nymphaea caerulea, blue lotus

   blue Egyptian lotus: held sacred by the Egyptians

   Nymphaea stellata, blue lotus

   blue lotus of India and southeastern Asia

   Nuphar advena, cow lily, spatterdock, yellow pond lily

   common water lily of eastern and central North America, having broad leaves and globe-shaped yellow flowers; in sluggish fresh or slightly brackish water

   Nuphar sagittifolium, southern spatterdock

   of flowing waters of the southeastern United States; may form obstructive mats in streams

   Nuphar lutea, yellow water lily

   a water lily with yellow flowers

   Indian lotus, Nelumbo nucifera, lotus, sacred lotus

   native to eastern Asia; widely cultivated for its large pink or white flowers

   American lotus, Nelumbo lutea, water chinquapin, yanquapin

   water lily of eastern North America having pale yellow blossoms and edible globular nutlike seeds

   Cabomba caroliniana, fanwort, water-shield

   common aquatic plant of eastern North America having floating and submerged leaves and white yellow-spotted flowers

   Brasenia schreberi, water-shield, water-target

   aquatic plant with floating oval leaves and purple flowers; in lakes and slow-moving streams; suitable for aquariums

   type of:

   aquatic plant, hydrophyte, hydrophytic plant, water plant

   a plant that grows partly or wholly in water whether rooted in the mud, as a lotus, or floating without anchorage, as the water hyacinth