gil·ly·flow·er (j l  -flou  r)n. 1. The carnation or a similar plant of the genus Dianthus. 2. Any of several plants, such as the wallflower, that have fragrant flowers. [Alteration (influenced by flower) of Middle English gilofre, from Old French gilofre, girofle, clove, from Late Latin gariofilum, from Greek karuophullon : karuon, nut; see kar- in Indo-European roots + phullon, leaf; see bhel-3 in Indo-European roots.] |
gillyflower, gilliflower [ˈdʒɪlɪˌflaʊə]
n
1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any of several plants having fragrant flowers, such as the stock and wallflower
2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) an archaic name for carnation
[changed (through influence of flower) from gilofre, from Old French girofle, from Medieval Latin, from Greek karuophullon clove tree, from karuon nut + phullon leaf]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  gillyflower - any of several Old World plants cultivated for their brightly colored flowersflower - a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms genus Matthiola, Matthiola - genus of Old World plants grown as ornamentals brompton stock, Matthiola incana - European plant with racemes of sweet-scented flowers; widely cultivated as an ornamental |
| 2. |  gillyflower - Eurasian plant with pink to purple-red spice-scented usually double flowers; widely cultivated in many varieties and many colorsgarden pink, pink - any of various flowers of plants of the genus Dianthus cultivated for their fragrant flowers |
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