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Definition of lilium
lilium
/ˈlɪl.i.əm/
lil · i · um
Plural:liliums
lilium Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
11
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A genus of herbaceous flowering plants native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere, commonly known as true lilies, which grow from bulbs and typically produce large, prominent, and often fragrant flowers.
Example
"The horticulturist carefully cultivated several rare species of lilium in the climate-controlled greenhouse to preserve their unique genetics."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for liliumWord Nuance & Usage
While 'lily' is used colloquially for many plants, 'lilium' specifically designates the true taxonomic genus, intentionally excluding unrelated plants like daylilies, water lilies, or peace lilies.
• Rhymes for lilium
Word Origin & Etymology
From Latin 'lilium' (lily), which in turn derives from the Ancient Greek 'leírion'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Lilium. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/lilium