shamrock

WOTD – 17 March 2009    

English

Wikipedia

A shamrock (trefoil leaf).

Etymology

From Irish seamrog, diminutive of seamar (“clover”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈʃæm.ɹɒk/
• (US) IPA: /ˈʃæm.ɹɑk/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

shamrock (plural shamrocks)

1. The trefoil leaf of any small clover, especially Trifolium repens, or such a leaf from a clover-like plant.

   She wore a shamrock in honor of her Irish ancestry.

2. Any of several small plants, forms of clover, with trefoil leaves, especially Trifolium repens.

   The fields were covered with shamrocks.

Usage notes

• The shamrock is used as a symbol of Ireland, and is registered as a trademark by the Irish government.

Synonyms

• (trefoil leaf): trefoil
• (any of several small plants): clover, trefoil

Translations

trefoil leaf of any clover

• Belarusian: канюшына (be) (kaniušyna) f; трылістнік (be) (trylistnik) m
• Czech: trojlístek (cs) m
• Dutch: klaverblad (nl) n
• Finnish: kolmiapila (fi)
• French: trèfle (fr) m
• Georgian: სამყურა (ka) (samqura)
• German: Kleeblatt (de) n

• Icelandic: músasmári (is) m
• Italian: trifoglio (it)
• Romanian: trifoi (ro) n
• Russian: трилистник (ru) (trilistnik) m
• Scottish Gaelic: seamrag (gd) f
• Spanish: trébol (es) m

any of several small plants, forms of clover — see clover

See also

• four-leaf clover