lily of the Nile
- noun
- /ˈlɪli əv ðə naɪl/
:
lirio del Nilo
- Gardeners often choose lily of the Nile for borders due to its attractive flowers and foliage.
- lily of the Nile (Agapanthus)
Examples
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For a soft show of blue, add lily of the Nile to your garden.
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The lily of the Nile produces striking blue blossoms in midsummer.
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She planted several lilies of the Nile along the garden path for a touch of color.
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The lily of the Nile blooms beautifully in the summer.
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Have you seen the lilies of the Nile in the garden?
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You can also use lily of the Nile as a cut flower purchased from your flower shop.
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Enjoy lily of the Nile in containers in the Upper South.
Synonyms
1
9.3
A tall plant with round groups of blue or purple flowers
A South African plant with long green leaves and round groups of deep blue flowers
A plant from Africa with green leaves and large groups of violet-blue flowers
A plant with bright green leaves and clusters of deep blue flowers often grown in gardens
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositional: a learner who knows 'lily' (a flowering plant) and 'Nile' (the river) will naturally interpret 'lily of the Nile' as a lily associated with the Nile region. The 'X of Y' pattern commonly indicates origin or association across languages, so the basic meaning (a plant linked to the Nile) is directly derivable by a B1 learner.
Etymology
Lily of the Nile was named because its round clusters of blue or purple flowers look like a bright lily, and people once imagined it came from exotic rivers such as the Nile. So the name stuck and today it means the 'garden plant' with tall stems and showy flower clusters.