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Definition of lily of the nile

lily of the nile

Plural:lilies of the Nile
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• noun

1

A perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Agapanthus, native to Southern Africa, characterized by basal strap-like leaves and tall stalks bearing globe-shaped clusters of blue, purple, or white funnel-shaped flowers.

Example

"The landscape designer planted a dense border of lily of the Nile to add striking globes of blue to the summer garden."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for lily of the nile

Word Nuance & Usage

Despite its common name, the lily of the Nile is a misnomer; the plant is neither a true lily nor native to the Nile River basin, but rather originates from Southern Africa.

• Nearby Words

liltingly
lily
lily of the incas
lily of the nile
lily of the valley
lima
lima bean

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Lily of the nile. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 6, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/lily-of-the-nile
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