Forms: (3 clou de gilofre), 4–5 clowe gilofre, -gylofre, (clowes of gylofre, clawis of gelofre), 5 glowgelofre, 6 clowgelofer, cloue gillofer, -gilloflower, 6–8 clove gilliflower, 7–8 clove-July-flower, 7– clove-gillyflower. [a. F. clou de girofle (girofre, gilofre): see CLOVE2. Fr. girofle (girofre, gilofre), (in Pr. girofle, gerofle, Sp. girofle, -re, It. garofano, -folo, -filo), represents Romanic garoflo, garofilo, late L. type *carophilum, a. Gr. καρυόφυλλον the clove, f. κάρυον nut + φύλλον leaf. In Eng. the Anglo-Fr. gilofre has passed through gillofer, gilloflower, to gillyflower, which has even been further perverted to July-flower.
The simple girofle, gilofre was the original name of the spice; but in OF. clou de girofle (= ‘girofle nail,’ from the shape) came into popular use at an early date; thence the Eng. clowe of gilofre or more commonly clowe-gilofre. This was commonly shortened at length to clowe, CLOVE, for the spice; the full name adhering to a flower, the ‘clove-pink,’ smelling like the spice. Finally with the corruption of gilofre, to gillyflower, the latter name without clove, has passed on to various scented flowers, having no connection either with the spice, or with the ‘clove-pink.’ See GILLY-FLOWER.]
† 1. The spice CLOVE sb.2 1. Obs.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 370. Ne makeden heo neuer strencðe of gingiuere ne of gedewal, ne of clou de gilofre.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sire Thopas, 51. And many a clow gilofre And notemuge to put in ale.
c. 1400. Maundev., v. (1839), 51. Sume destyllen Clowes of Gylofre [ed. Roxb. 26 gariofles, clous de girofle]. Ibid., xxvi. 265. Many Trees, that beren Clowe Gylofres and Notemuges.
c. 1420. Liber Cocorum (1862), 26. With cloves of gelofer hit broche þou shalle.
14[?]. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 586. Garriofila, glowgelofre.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, C iij a. Clawis of gelofre and canell and gynger.
2. A clove-scented species of Pink (Dianthus Caryophyllus), the original of the carnation and other cultivated double forms.
1538. Turner, Libellus, s.v. Betonica, Herba quam uernacula lingua uocamus a Gelofer, aut a Clowgelofer aut an Incarnacyon.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. vii. 154. The Cloue gillofer…. The floures grow … out of long round smooth huskes and dented or toothed aboue like the spice called cloaues … [they] do all smell almost like Cloues.
1594. Plat, Jewell-ho., I. Divers New Exper., 36. It is generally thought that the clouegilliflower gotte his firste sent from the cloue.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, II. clxxii. 472. Caryophyllus … some whereof are called Carnations, others Cloue Gilloflowers.
1657. S. Purchas, Pol. Flying Ins., I. xv. 95. The Bees gather not of the … Clove-July-flower.
1741. Miller, Gard. Dict., I. (J.). The true Clove-gilliflower … hath been for a long time so much in Use for making a Cordial Syrup.
1861. Miss Pratt, Flower. Pl., I. 207. Clove-Pink, Carnation, or Clove-Gillyflower.
