trefoil


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trefoil

tre·foil

 (trē′foil′, trĕf′oil′)
n.
1. Any of various plants of the pea family, chiefly of the genera Trifolium and Lotus, having compound trifoliolate leaves.
2. An ornament, symbol, or architectural form having the appearance of a trifoliolate leaf.

[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman trifoil, from Latin trifolium : tri-, tri- + folium, leaf; see bhel- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

trefoil

(ˈtrɛfɔɪl)
n
1. (Plants) 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. (Plants) any of various related plants having leaves divided into three leaflets, such as bird's-foot trefoil
3. (Botany) a leaf having three leaflets
4. (Architecture) architect an ornament in the form of three arcs arranged in a circle
[C14: from Anglo-French trifoil, from Latin trifolium three-leaved herb, from tri- + folium leaf]
ˈtrefoiled adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

tre•foil

(ˈtri fɔɪl, ˈtrɛf ɔɪl)

n.
2. any of various plants having three leaflets resembling those of clover.
3. a three-lobed flower or leaf.
4. an architectural ornament composed of three lobes, separated by cusps, radiating from a common center.
5. any three-lobed figure, design, or emblem resembling a clover leaf.
[1350–1400; Middle English < Anglo-French trifoil < Latin trifolium triple leaf]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.trefoil - any of several Old World herbs of the genus Medicago having small flowers and trifoliate compound leavestrefoil - any of several Old World herbs of the genus Medicago having small flowers and trifoliate compound leaves
herb, herbaceous plant - a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests
genus Medicago, Medicago - a genus of herbs that resemble clover
Medicago arborea, moon trefoil - evergreen shrub of southern European highlands having downy foliage and a succession of yellow flowers throughout the summer followed by curious snail-shaped pods
Medicago falcata, sickle alfalfa, sickle lucerne, sickle medick - European medic naturalized in North America having yellow flowers and sickle-shaped pods
Calvary clover, Medicago echinus, Medicago intertexta - an annual of the Mediterranean area having spiny seed pods and leaves with dark spots
black medick, hop clover, Medicago lupulina, nonesuch clover, yellow trefoil - prostrate European herb with small yellow flowers and curved black pods; naturalized in North America
alfalfa, lucerne, Medicago sativa - important European leguminous forage plant with trifoliate leaves and blue-violet flowers grown widely as a pasture and hay crop
2.trefoil - a plant of the genus Trifoliumtrefoil - a plant of the genus Trifolium  
genus Trifolium, Trifolium - any leguminous plant having leaves divided into three leaflets
alpine clover, Trifolium alpinum - European mountain clover with fragrant usually pink flowers
lesser yellow trefoil, Trifolium dubium, hop clover, shamrock - clover native to Ireland with yellowish flowers; often considered the true or original shamrock
crimson clover, Italian clover, Trifolium incarnatum - southern European annual with spiky heads of crimson flower; extensively cultivated in United States for forage
purple clover, red clover, Trifolium pratense - erect to decumbent short-lived perennial having red-purple to pink flowers; the most commonly grown forage clover
Trifolium reflexum, Trifolium stoloniferum, buffalo clover - clover of western United States
dutch clover, shamrock, Trifolium repens, white clover - creeping European clover having white to pink flowers and bright green leaves; naturalized in United States; widely grown for forage
herb, herbaceous plant - a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests
3.trefoil - an architectural ornament in the form of three arcs arranged in a circletrefoil - an architectural ornament in the form of three arcs arranged in a circle
architectural ornament - (architecture) something added to a building to improve its appearance
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
trojlisttrojlístek
trekløver
DreipassKlee
kolmiapila

trefoil

[ˈtrefɔɪl] Ntrébol m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

trefoil

n (Bot) → Klee m; (symbol of Girl Guide movement) → Kleeblatt nt; (Archit) → Dreipass m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

trefoil

[ˈtrɛfɔɪl] n (Bot) → trifoglio (Archit) → decorazione f a trifoglio
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
It was the Normans who began to build that fine old hall, which is, like the town, telling of the thoughts and hands of widely sundered generations; but it is all so old that we look with loving pardon at its inconsistencies, and are well content that they who built the stone oriel, and they who built the Gothic facade and towers of finest small brickwork with the trefoil ornament, and the windows and battlements defined with stone, did not sacreligiously pull down the ancient half-timbered body with its oak-roofed banqueting-hall.
Dr Zoe Randle, Butterfly Conservation's senior surveys officer, said: "People should be able to spot these butterflies in National Park areas as their caterpillars mainly feed on the wildflower and common bird's foot trefoil."
This year classic meadow flowers such as yellow rattle, tufted vetch and red clover are abundant and there is more bird's foot trefoil than I have ever seen in this meadow in nearly 30 years.
Angel represented the landlord, Trefoil Park Properties LLC, in the transaction.
AG013 is an oral mouth rinse composed of a recombinant Lactococcus lactis bacteria strain that contains the coding sequence for human trefoil family factor 1 (hTFF1), which is continually secreted by the bacteria.
The vehicle features new burnished rear light clusters and a luxurious trim, carbon detailing, including on the 'V' of the front trefoil and the wing mirrors, 20-inch alloy wheels with the yellow sports brake callipers, gloss black exterior window frames and exhaust pipes, privacy glass and dark 'Stelvio' and 'Q4' badges.
TREFOIL GUILD On Monday, December 10, a total of 90 ladies from Clackmannanshire, Fife and Stirling and Forth Valley gathered in the hall at Ludgate Church, Alloa for the final celebration of this the 75th Anniversary year of the Trefoil Guide - Girlguiding for adults.
In addition, the company has received the US Food and Drug Administration's Fast Track designation and orphan drug status in Europe for AG013, an ActoBiotics therapeutic candidate formulated to deliver the therapeutic molecule Trefoil Factor 1 to the mucosal tissues in the oral cavity in a convenient oral rinsing solution.
The designs to the front consist of inward-springing double-curves flanking a distinctively Wabanaki style bold stylized 4-petal flower, with a trefoil motif and two ovate leaf designs below, within white linear borders.
Threatened and rare plants such as harebell and birds-foot trefoil are being crowded out by "nitrogen guzzlers" including bramble and nettles.
Trefoil factor family (TFF) proteins are small secretory proteins expressed mainly in the gastrointestinal tract, but are also found in many other human tissues.