cinquefoil
UK[ˈsɪŋkfɔɪl]US[ˈsɪŋkfɔɪl]
n
a plant of the rose family, typically with compound leaves of five leaflets and yellow or white flowers.
n
an ornamental design in the shape of a five-petaled flower or leaf.
Morpheme Breakdown
cinq
foil
cinq
five
foil
leaf
Etymology
the word "cinquefoil" entered english in the 15th century from the middle french term "cinquefoil", itself a direct compound. its first element, "cinque", derives from the latin "quinque", meaning "five", a number with deep proto-indo-european roots. the second element, "foil", originates from the latin "folium", meaning "leaf". the term's literal meaning, "five-leaf", perfectly describes the plant's characteristic five-parted leaf structure. this botanical descriptor was later adopted into heraldry and architecture to denote a stylized five-lobed ornamental figure, preserving the core logic of its original, literal construction.
Analysis
Structure: cinq (five) + foil (leaf)
cinq is from old french, meaning "five", of latin origin (quinque). foil is from old french "foille", meaning "leaf", from latin "folium".
Examples
the meadow was dotted with the bright yellow blossoms of cinquefoil.
the stone archway was decorated with a delicate cinquefoil motif.
gardeners value potentilla, commonly known as cinquefoil, for its hardiness and long flowering season.