water-lily

A water-lily floats on the surface of a calm pond.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of aquatic plant: "water-lily" refers to any of various plants of the family Nymphaeaceae, which grow in freshwater ponds and lakes. They typically have large, round, floating leaves and showy, fragrant flowers that bloom on or above the water's surface.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The pond was covered in beautiful pink water-lilies. (Aquatic plants with floating leaves and flowers.)
  • She painted a water-lily in her art class. (A depiction of the aquatic plant.)

Advanced Usage

• "water-lily leaf": the broad, flat leaf of the water-lily, often used by frogs or insects as a resting platform.

  • A frog sat on a water-lily leaf in the middle of the pond. (The leaf served as a perch.)

• "water-lily flower": the showy, often fragrant blossom of the water-lily, which opens during the day and closes at night.

  • The water-lily flower opened at dawn and closed at dusk. (The blossom followed a daily cycle.)

Variants and Related Words

• Water-lily (n): the primary spelling; also written as "water lily" (two words) or "waterlily" (one word) in some contexts.

  • The water lily is a common ornamental plant in garden ponds. (Alternative spelling.)

• Lily pad (n): a common term for the floating leaf of a water-lily, though not a compound of "water-lily" itself.

  • The turtle rested on a lily pad. (A leaf of a water-lily.)

Synonyms

• Aquatic lily: a descriptive term for any lily that grows in water.
• Nymphaea: the scientific genus name for many water-lilies.

Phrasal Verbs

• None directly associated with "water-lily." The word is primarily a noun and does not form phrasal verbs.

Related Idioms

• "Like a water-lily on a pond": a poetic simile meaning to be calm, serene, or floating effortlessly.
  • She drifted through the party like a water-lily on a pond. (She moved gracefully and calmly.)