lily of the valley

noun phrase

: a low perennial herb (Convallaria majalis) of the lily family that has usually two large oblong lanceolate leaves and a raceme of fragrant nodding bell-shaped white flowers

Examples of lily of the valley in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Fill each teacup with soaked floral foam and add in small blooms, like grape hyacinth or lily of the valley. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2024 Fresh jasmine is layered with lily of the valley and magnolia to create a full-body base and rounded out with romantic top notes of pink freesia and rose petals. Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 24 Jan. 2024 According to online information posted by Mount Sinai, lily of the valley can cause symptoms including lethargy, confusion, blurred vision and nausea, along with dozens of other symptoms. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 19 Jan. 2024 The Spanish couturier praised one of the dresses in the collection, embroidered with lily of the valley patterns. Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 16 Nov. 2023 Featuring notes of bergamot, lily of the valley, and musk, this perfume has a light scent that applies nicely to the hair, skin, and fabric. Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 14 Dec. 2023 This refreshing perfume has fragrant notes of raspberry, red currant, violet, lily of the valley, and red apple. Robin Raven, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023 Find it on Amazon Donna Karan Eau de Parfum Donna Karan’s Cashmere Mist Eau de Parfum is a delicate blend of lily of the valley, suede notes, bergamot, ylang-ylang, and jasmine maroc. Margaret Drake, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2023 One of Robert Piguet's greatest successes, created in 1948, this fragrance is a generous, opulent bouquet of flowers: tuberose, jasmine, gardenia, iris, lily of the valley, carnation... blended with a sunny, vitamin-rich fruit cocktail of peach, mandarin and bergamot. Mélanie Nauche, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lily of the valley.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lily of the valley was in 1563

Dictionary Entries Near lily of the valley

Cite this Entry

“Lily of the valley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lily%20of%20the%20valley. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lily of the valley

: a low herb that is related to the lilies and has usually two large oblong leaves and a stalk of fragrant flowers shaped like bells

Medical Definition

lily of the valley

noun
lily of the val·​ley ˈlil-ē-əv-t͟hə-ˈval-ē How to pronounce lily of the valley (audio)
plural lilies of the valley
1
: an erect low-growing perennial herb of the genus Convallaria (C. majalis) that has two large oblong lanceolate leaves and a raceme of fragrant nodding bell-shaped white flowers and is the source of convallaria, convallamarin, convallarin, and convallatoxin
2
: the dried rhizome and roots of the lily of the valley used as a cardiac tonic

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