Meaning of Idiom ‘Lily White’
1. Pure white or white as a lily.
2. To be innocent, virtuous, and pure; to have a perfect character and only good qualities; to act as if one is innocent and virtuous (often used sarcastically or mockingly).
3. Composted mostly of people of Anglo Saxon or Northern European descent; segregated and discriminatory against non-whites.
Sentence Examples
“Her skin was lily-white.’
“She was lily white when she came to the city. Now she’s as wild as they come.”
“He likes to pretend as if his record is lily-white but he’s involved in insider training and a host of other corruptions.”
“Don’t preach to me! It’s not as if you are lily white and innocent.”
“He comes from a lily-white neighborhood. He never saw a black person until he entered college.”
Origin
Used since the 1800s, this idiom refers to the white color of certain lillies and their representation of purity and innocence.
