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fawn lily

fawn lily

9.9
A small wildflower that grows in woods with hanging creamy white or yellow flowers and spotted leaves
  • noun
  • /fɔn ˈlɪli/
  • US
translation icon : lirio ciervo
  • The fawn lily blooms early in spring along the shaded woodland trails.

Examples

  • We spotted several fawn lilies growing beside the creek.

  • Many gardeners admire the delicate petals of the fawn lily.

  • Look at that fawn lily!

  • I saw a beautiful fawn lily in the garden.

  • The fawn lily blooms early in spring along the shaded woodland trails.

  • Many gardeners admire the delicate petals of the fawn lily.

  • We spotted several fawn lilies growing beside the creek.

Synonyms

Erythronium californicum
vsfawn lily
  • Specialized
9.9

A plant from California in the lily family with creamy white flowers sometimes slightly yellow

is the common regional name for that species and similar plants

Surface Forms

fawn lily singular
fawn lilies plural

Morphology

fawn + lily

The noun is a straightforward color + noun compound: knowing 'fawn' as a pale yellowish‑brown and 'lily' as a flower lets a learner infer it refers to a lily with fawn-colored or tawny markings. This color+noun naming pattern is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words can readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Fawn lily may come from the plant's look: its leaves have brown spots like a fawn ('young deer') and lily is the 'flower'. That's why the name describes this small, spotted woodland flower.