n. 1 a a dried flower-bud of a tropical plant, Eugenia aromatica, used as a pungent aromatic spice. b this plant. 2 (in full clove gillyflower or clove pink) a clove-scented pink, Dianthus caryophyllus, the original of the carnation and other double pinks.
[ ME f. OF clou (de girofle) nail (of gillyflower), from its shape, GILLYFLOWER being orig. the name of the spice; later applied to the similarly scented pink ]