any plant of the N temperate rosaceous genus Potentilla, typically having five-lobed compound leaves
2.
an ornamental carving in the form of five arcs arranged in a circle and separated by cusps
3. heraldry
a charge representing a five-petalled flower
Word origin
C13 sink foil, from Old French cincfoille, from Latin quinquefolium plant with five leaves, translating Greek pentaphullon from pente five + phullon leaf
cinquefoil in American English
(ˈsɪŋkˌfɔɪl)
noun
1.
any of a genus (Potentilla) of plants of the rose family, with white, yellow, or red flowers and fruit like a dry strawberry: some species have compound leaves with five leaflets arranged like the fingers on a hand
2. Architecture
a circular design made up of five converging arcs
Word origin
ME cink foil < OFr cinquefoil < It cinquefoglie < L quinquefolium < quinque, five + folium, leaf: see foliate
cinquefoil in American English
(ˈsɪŋkˌfɔil)
noun
1.
any of several plants belonging to the genus Potentilla, of the rose family, having yellow, red, or white five-petaled flowers, as P. reptans (creeping cinquefoil), of the Old World, or P. argentea (silvery cinquefoil), of North America
2. Also called: quinquefoil, quintefoil Architecture
a panellike ornament consisting of five lobes, divided by cusps, radiating from a common center
3. Heraldry
a charge in the form of a five-leaved clover
Word origin
[1375–1425; late ME sink foil ‹ MF cincfoille ‹ L quīnque folia five leaves, trans. of Gk pentáphyllon]
Examples of 'cinquefoil' in a sentence
cinquefoil
Another saddle had Sir Gavlok Whitfell's pierced cinquefoil insignia.
Julian May IRONCROWN MOON: PART TWO OF THE BOREAL MOON TALE (2004)