any of various S European liliaceous plants of the genera Asphodelus and Asphodeline, having clusters of white or yellow flowers
Compare bog asphodel
2.
any of various other plants, such as the daffodil
3.
an unidentified flower of Greek legend, probably a narcissus, said to cover the Elysian fields
Word origin
C16: from Latin asphodelus, from Greek asphodelos, of obscure origin
asphodel in American English
(ˈæsfəˌdɛl)
noun
1.
any of a genus (Asphodeline) of plants of the lily family, having fleshy roots, narrow leaves, and white or yellow, lilylike flowers; esp. the classic flower of death (A. lutea)
2.
any of a similar genus (Asphodelus) of plants of the lily family, having leafless flower stems
Word origin
< ModL < L asphodelus < Gr asphodelos
Examples of 'asphodel' in a sentence
asphodel
Crowds of daffodils and fields of asphodel meant nothing to the Clearys, living in a climate where neither could exist.