trefoil
|tre-foil|
/ˈtriːfɔɪl/
three-leaved / three-lobed
Etymology
'trefoil' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'trifolium', where 'tri-' meant 'three' and 'folium' meant 'leaf'.
'trefoil' changed from Latin 'trifolium' into Old French 'trefle' (or 'trefol') and Middle English 'trefoil', eventually becoming the modern English 'trefoil'.
Initially, it meant 'a three-leaved plant' (literally 'three-leaf'), but over time it also came to refer to a 'three-lobed decorative or architectural motif'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a plant of the genus Trifolium; commonly a clover or any plant with leaves divided into three leaflets.
A patch of trefoil covered the meadow.
Synonyms
Noun 2
an architectural or decorative motif made of three rounded lobes or foils (a three-lobed design).
The church window featured a carved trefoil at its top.
Synonyms
Verb 1
to form into or decorate with a trefoil shape; to make three-lobed.
The mason trefoiled the arch to match the church's Gothic style.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/16 18:25