Illustration of trefoil
- trefoil 2
trefoil
noun
tre·foil
ˈtrē-ˌfȯi(-ə)l 
ˈtre-
ˈtre-
1
a
: clover sense 1
broadly
: any of several leguminous herbs (such as bird's-foot trefoil) with leaves that have or appear to have three leaflets
b
: a trifoliolate leaf
2
: an ornament or symbol in the form of a stylized trifoliolate leaf
Examples of trefoil in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The palazzo’s Venetian-style architectural elements, like the trefoil windows, don’t seem out of place on Lake Como, where striped mooring poles, motoscafi (water taxis), and criss-crossing ferries provide plenty of visual reminders of the city on the lagoon.
—
Catherine Sabino, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The trefoil disappeared from football kits in the early 1990s, Adidas’s logo shifting to the slanted three stripes that was presumably more consistent with their general aesthetic.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
The brand’s trefoil logo is embroidered in gold at the forefoot, but the mule is otherwise blank in terms of outward branding.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 18 Feb. 2026
The marble trefoil detail on the threshold of the shower evokes French-Moroccan architecture.
—Blue Carreon, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trefoil
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Catherine Sabino, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The trefoil disappeared from football kits in the early 1990s, Adidas’s logo shifting to the slanted three stripes that was presumably more consistent with their general aesthetic.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
The brand’s trefoil logo is embroidered in gold at the forefoot, but the mule is otherwise blank in terms of outward branding.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 18 Feb. 2026
The marble trefoil detail on the threshold of the shower evokes French-Moroccan architecture.
—Blue Carreon, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trefoil
Cite this Entry
“Trefoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trefoil. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
trefoil
noun
tre·foil
ˈtrē-ˌfȯil
ˈtref-ˌȯil
ˈtref-ˌȯil
1
: any of several herbs (as a clover) of the legume family with leaves that have or appear to have three leaflets
2
: an ornament or symbol shaped like a leaf with three parts
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
