fleur-de-lis Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun plants with sword-shaped leaves and erect stalks bearing bright-colored flowers composed of three petals and three drooping sepals
    iris; flag; sword lily.
  2. noun (heraldry) charge consisting of a conventionalized representation of an iris
    fleur-de-lys.

WordNet

Fleur`-de-lis` noun
Etymology
F., flower of the lily. Cf. Flower-de-luce, Lily.
Wordforms
plural Fleurs-de-lis
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) The iris. See Flower-de-luce.
  2. A conventional flower suggested by the iris, and having a form which fits it for the terminal decoration of a scepter, the ornaments of a crown, etc. It is also a heraldic bearing, and is identified with the royal arms and adornments of France.

Webster 1913