calla lily

noun

cal·​la lily ˈka-lə- How to pronounce calla lily (audio)
: any of several herbs (genus Zantedeschia) of the arum family
especially : a house or greenhouse plant (Z. aethiopica) with a white showy spathe and yellow spadix

called also calla

Examples of calla lily in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These kitten-heel sandals, adorned with a calla lily detail, feel like a wearable ode to spring itself. — Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 One of the most popular shade-loving aroids is the calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica). — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 May 2026 In the photos, Blondeau is seen in her characteristic bun adorned with flowers and white cape-overlay gown, holding a calla lily bouquet. — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 30 June 2026 The model carried a calla lily bouquet, which matched Hershberger's simple boutonniere. — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for calla lily

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, genus name, modification of Greek kallaia rooster's wattles

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of calla lily was in 1854

Rhymes for calla lily

See All Rhymes for calla lily

Browse Nearby Words

callaïs
calla lily
calla lily begonia
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Calla lily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calla%20lily. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

calla lily

noun
cal·​la lily ˈkal-ə- How to pronounce calla lily (audio)
: a plant often grown for its large white bract surrounding a fleshy spike of small yellow flowers

More from Merriam-Webster on calla lily

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about calla lily

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All