Egyptian water lily
- noun
:
lirio de agua egipcio
- The Egyptian water lily was highly revered in ancient Egyptian culture and featured in many temple carvings.
Examples
-
The Egyptian water lily is known for its large, fragrant blooms that float on the surface of ponds.
-
We spotted a beautiful Egyptian water lily blooming along the banks of the Nile.
-
Botanists study the Egyptian water lily for its unique adaptation to aquatic environments.
-
The Egyptian water lily blooms beautifully in the summer.
-
I saw an Egyptian water lily in the botanical garden.
-
In ancient times, the Egyptian water lily symbolized rebirth and was often depicted in hieroglyphics.
-
During our trip to Egypt, we admired the stunning Egyptian water lily growing in the serene waters of the Nile.
Synonyms
A white water lily that grows in Egypt and parts of Africa and was sacred to ancient Egyptians
A white water lily with fragrant flowers that grows in ponds
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning ('a species of water lily native to Egypt') is directly derivable from the constituents: 'Egyptian' (from Egypt) + 'water' + 'lily' (a lily that grows in water). This is a literal place-adjective + noun compound and follows a common, cross-linguistic compositional pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the parts should understand it.
Etymology
Egyptian water lily gets its name from its long link to ancient Egypt: the white water lily opens and closes with the sun, so it looked 'reborn' each day and was used in temples and art. That's why the name points to Egypt and the flower was held 'sacred'.
