carnation
noun
car·na·tion
kär-ˈnā-shən 
1
: a plant of any of numerous often cultivated and usually double-flowered varieties or subspecies of an Old World pink (Dianthus caryophyllus) found in many color variations
2
: a moderate red
3
archaic
: the variable color of human flesh
Examples of carnation in a Sentence
The groom wore a carnation in his buttonhole.
Recent Examples on the Web
Navalny's grave eventually disappeared under a 6-foot mound of thousands of carnations and roses.
—
Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2024
Each red carnation clutched by a supporter of the Russian dissident can be seen as a small act of resistance in a country where the state has cleared the landscape of all political competition.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024
After the service, giant crowds holding up bouquets of red carnations and roses braved the cold to walk 1.5 miles to the Borisovskoye Cemetery, where large wreaths surrounded the grave into which his casket was lowered to the theme of Terminator 2, which supporters said was his favorite movie.
—Nick Spicer, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024
More state symbols of Ohio State flower: Scarlet carnation.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 1 Mar. 2024
Heaps of red roses and carnations covered the monument, framing portraits of Navalny.
—Robyn Dixon, Emily Rauhala, arkansasonline.com, 20 Feb. 2024
One 36-year-old man who laid a carnation at the Solovetsky Stone, a monument on Lubyanka Square in Moscow, spoke to Reuters from the shelter of an underpass.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN, 18 Feb. 2024
After a moment of silence at 4:17 a.m. to mark the time the quake struck, carnations were tossed into the river in an act of remembrance and a local orchestra played a song to honor the victims.
—TIME, 6 Feb. 2024
Ed Koch is a closeted jerk; Brooke Astor brings carnations to a grave.
—Mike Hale, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2024
Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2024
Each red carnation clutched by a supporter of the Russian dissident can be seen as a small act of resistance in a country where the state has cleared the landscape of all political competition.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024
After the service, giant crowds holding up bouquets of red carnations and roses braved the cold to walk 1.5 miles to the Borisovskoye Cemetery, where large wreaths surrounded the grave into which his casket was lowered to the theme of Terminator 2, which supporters said was his favorite movie.
—Nick Spicer, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024
More state symbols of Ohio State flower: Scarlet carnation.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 1 Mar. 2024
Heaps of red roses and carnations covered the monument, framing portraits of Navalny.
—Robyn Dixon, Emily Rauhala, arkansasonline.com, 20 Feb. 2024
One 36-year-old man who laid a carnation at the Solovetsky Stone, a monument on Lubyanka Square in Moscow, spoke to Reuters from the shelter of an underpass.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN, 18 Feb. 2024
After a moment of silence at 4:17 a.m. to mark the time the quake struck, carnations were tossed into the river in an act of remembrance and a local orchestra played a song to honor the victims.
—TIME, 6 Feb. 2024
Ed Koch is a closeted jerk; Brooke Astor brings carnations to a grave.
—Mike Hale, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carnation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near carnation
Cite this Entry
“Carnation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnation. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
carnation
noun
car·na·tion
kär-ˈnā-shən
1
: a moderate red
2
: any of the numerous cultivated herbs of the genus of pinks with reddish, pink, yellow, or white usually double flowers
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