any of numerous leguminous plants of the temperate genus Trifolium, having leaves divided into three leaflets and dense heads of small white, yellow, red, or purple flowers
2.
any of various related plants having leaves divided into three leaflets, such as bird's-foottrefoil
3.
a leaf having three leaflets
4. architecture
an ornament in the form of three arcs arranged in a circle
Derived forms
trefoiled (ˈtrefoiled)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Anglo-French trifoil, from Latin trifolium three-leaved herb, from tri- + folium leaf
Examples of 'trefoil leaf' in a sentence
trefoil leaf
Like other clovers, this one has trefoil leaves.
Times, Sunday Times (2018)
Another flower that will be opening soon, and whose trefoil leaves are already up and showing on grassy paths, is barren strawberry.