lily (English)
Where does "lily" come from?
The English adjective 'lily', denoting a white racial epithet, derives from Middle English 'lilie' and Old English 'lilie'[1][2]. These forms trace back through Latin 'līlia', the plural of 'līlium'[1][2][3], which was borrowed from Ancient Greek 'λείριον'[1][2][6]. The Greek term itself originates from an eastern Mediterranean substrate language[4]. Further back, the lineage reaches Fayyumic Coptic 'ϩⲗⲏⲣⲓ', which came from Demotic 'ḥrry' and ultimately Egyptian 'ḥrrt', meaning 'flower'[2][5][7].
Open questions
- The Ancient Greek term is considered a borrowing from an eastern Mediterranean substrate language. [4]
Full etymology tree
- lily (English), 'White (as a racial epithet).'
- inherited lilie (Middle English), 'Lilium candidum, its flower, or a similar plant (often used medicinally)'
- inherited lilie (Old English), 'a lily'
- borrowed lilia (Latin), 'nominative/accusative/vocative plural of līlium'
- borrowed λείριον (leírion) (Ancient Greek), 'Madonna lily (Lilium candidum)'
- borrowed (Eastern Mediterranean substrate language (unidentified))
- borrowed λείριον (leírion) (Ancient Greek), 'Madonna lily (Lilium candidum)'
- borrowed lilia (Latin), 'nominative/accusative/vocative plural of līlium'
- inherited lilie (Old English), 'a lily'
- inherited lilie (Middle English), 'Lilium candidum, its flower, or a similar plant (often used medicinally)'
Ancestors
- lilie (Middle English)
- lilie (Old English)
- lilia (Latin)
- λείριον (Ancient Greek)
Sources
- lily (English) - Wiktionary
- lilie (Middle English) - Wiktionary
- lilie (Old English) - Wiktionary
- λείριον (leírion) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
- ϩⲗⲏⲣⲓ (Coptic) - Wiktionary
- lilium (Latin) - Wiktionary
- ḥrry (Demotic) - Wiktionary
Updated October 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris