Meanings
plural mariposa lilies
- Any member of several species in the genus Calochortus that grow in dry grasslands and semideserts, characterized as tuliplike, bulbous herbs with large and often brightly colored blossoms.
Synonyms: butterfly lily, sego lily
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny member of several species in the genus Calochortus that grow in dry grasslands and semideserts, characterized as tuliplike, bulbous herbs with large and often brightly colored blossoms.
More synonyms by meaning
nounany of several plants of the genus Calochortus having tulip-shaped flowers with 3 sepals and 3 petals; southwestern United States and Mexico
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Spanishmariposa“butterfly”
- Englishmariposa lily
From Spanish mariposa (“butterfly”) + lily. So called from the attractive appearance of the blossoms.
More words from Spanish
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
mariposa lily. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mariposa%20lily
“mariposa lily.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mariposa%20lily. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mariposa lily,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mariposa%20lily.
Source: mariposa lily on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.