fleur-de-lis

views updated May 29 2018

fleur-de-lis / ˌflər dlˈē; ˌfloŏr-/ (also fleur-de-lys) • n. (pl. fleurs-de-lis / ˌflər dlˈē(z); ˌfloŏr-/ ) 1. Art Heraldry a stylized lily composed of three petals bound together near their bases. 2. a European iris (genus Iris).

fleur-de-lis

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

fleur-de-lis

views updated Jun 11 2018

fleur-de-lis or -lys. Ornament consisting of three leaf-like pointed members above and three or one below a horizontal cross-bar. It is essentially a stylized lily, often found in late-Gothic tracery and as a poppy-head finial on a medieval bench-end. It is especially associated with the Virgin Mary.

A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture JAMES STEVENS CURL

fleur-de-lis

views updated May 29 2018

fleur-de-lis a stylized lily composed of three petals bound together near their bases. It is especially known from the former royal arms of France, in which it appears in gold on a blue field. Recorded from Middle English, the term comes from Old French flour de lys ‘flower of the lily’.

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES

fleur-de-lis

views updated Jun 11 2018

fleur-de-lis iris flower; heraldic lily. XIX. ME. flour de lys — OF., i.e. flour FLOWER, de of, lis (L. līlium LILY).

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

More From encyclopedia.com

About this article

fleur-de-lis

All Sources -
Updated Aug 08 2016 About encyclopedia.com content Print Topic

You Might Also Like