What is the difference between lotus and lily?

There are exceptions but I think of water lily flowers floating on the water and lotus bloom on stalks held above the water. RScott

What is the difference between lotus and lily?
Lotus flower is grown in waters of a lake or a river and lily is grown in the soil /in the fields meant for it. both are good and beautiful to at. lotus is used for medicine and for pooja and other things. the roots of lotus are being used as a vegetable in North India.
Reply:just my 2 cents
Reply:Lotus is a car popular in the 1980's and Lily just happens to be my prom date's name back in 1988.
Reply:Lotus are orangish pink in colour,it has broad leaves.Lilies are white in colour.
Reply:Rscott is right, and I think that Lotus are way prettier too, and have a cooler seed pod used in dry arrangements a lot. and typically lotus are more tropical than Lilly's....Lilly's are more hardy....It's hard to find a hardy lotus.....In-fact I don't know if there is any that can withstand a good hard freeze....
Reply:'The difference?' Well, it is that lotus grows in water but Lilly grows upstairs