The Collaborative International Dictionary
Flower-de-luce \Flow"er-de-luce"\, n. [Corrupted fr. fleur-de-lis.] (Bot.) A genus of perennial herbs ( Iris) with swordlike leaves and large three-petaled flowers often of very gay colors, but probably white in the plant first chosen for the royal French emblem.
Note: There are nearly one hundred species, natives of the north temperate zone. Some of the best known are Iris Germanica, I. Florentina, I. Persica, I. sambucina, and the American I. versicolor, I. prismatica, etc.
Usage examples of "flower-de-luce".
Her prow swung north and so round eastaway, and her sail broidered with flower-de-luces smote the mast and filled to the west wind, and those other six fared after her in line ahead with white sails unfurled, striding majestic over the full broad billows.