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- Word comparison: shamrock vs. clover
shamrock vs. clover
shamrock vs. clover: 's the difference?
Shamrock is a general term that refers to a sprig of any of several low, flowering three-leaved plants, including clover and wood sorrel. Clover refers more specifically to a plant in the genus Trifolium and is identifiable by its dense, round flowerheads. Yellow-flowered clover is the national emblem of Ireland, and thus could be considered the classic shamrock. A shamrock has three leaves, though, and is therefore not to be confused with the lucky four-leaf clover!
noun
- any of several trifoliate plants, as the wood sorrel, Oxalis acetosella, or a small, pink-flowered clover, Trifolium repens minus, but especially Trifolium procumbens, a small, yellow-flowered clover: the national emblem of Ireland.
noun
plural clovers, (especially collectively) clover.
- any of various plants of the genus Trifolium, of the legume family, having trifoliolate leaves and dense flower heads, many species of which, as T. pratense, are cultivated as forage plants.
- any of various plants of allied genera, as melilot.