trefoil (n.)

late 14c., type of clover, from Anglo-French trifoil (13c.), Old French trefueil "clover, clover-leaf," from Latin trifolium "three-leaved plant," from tri- "three" (see tri-) + folium "leaf" (from PIE root *bhel- (3) "to thrive, bloom"). As a type of ornamental figure in medieval architecture, early 15c.

Entries linking to trefoil

tri-

word-forming element meaning "three, having three, once every three," from Latin tres (neuter tria) or Greek treis, trias "three" (see three).

*bhel- (3)

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to thrive, bloom," possibly a variant of PIE root *bhel- (2) "to blow, swell."

It forms all or part of: blade; bleed; bless; blood; blow (v.2) "to bloom, blossom;" bloom (n.1) "blossom of a plant;" bloom (n.2) "rough mass of wrought iron;" blossom; cauliflower; chervil; cinquefoil; deflower; defoliation; effloresce; exfoliate; feuilleton; flora; floral; floret; florid; florin; florist; flour; flourish; flower; foil (n.) "very thin sheet of metal;" foliage; folio; folium; gillyflower; Phyllis; phyllo-; portfolio; trefoil.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek phyllon "leaf;" Latin flos "flower," folio, folium "leaf;" Middle Irish blath, Welsh blawd "blossom, flower;" Gaelic bile "leaflet, blossom;" Old English blowan "to flower, bloom."

Share trefoil

‘cite’

Page URL:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/trefoil

HTML Link:

<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/trefoil">Etymology of trefoil by etymonline</a>

APA style:

Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of trefoil. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/trefoil

Chicago style:

Harper Douglas, “Etymology of trefoil,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/trefoil.

MLA style:

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of trefoil.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/trefoil. Accessed $(datetimeMla).

IEEE style:

D. Harper. “Etymology of trefoil.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/trefoil (accessed $(datetime)).

Definitions of trefoil

trefoil (n.)

any of several Old World herbs of the genus Medicago having small flowers and trifoliate compound leaves;

Synonyms: medic / medick

trefoil (n.)

a plant of the genus Trifolium;

Synonyms: clover

trefoil (n.)

an architectural ornament in the form of three arcs arranged in a circle;

From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near trefoil

tree-frog

tree-house

treeless

tree-top

tref

trefoil

trek

trekker

trekkie

trellis

tremble