dandelion

dan·de·li·on

noun \ˈdan-də-ˌlī-ən, -dē-\

Definition of DANDELION

: any of a genus (Taraxacum) of yellow-flowered composite herbs with milky sap; especially : one (T. officinale) sometimes grown as a potherb and nearly cosmopolitan as a weed

Illustration of DANDELION

Origin of DANDELION

Middle English dendelyoun, from Anglo-French dent de lion, literally, lion's tooth

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with DANDELION

counterion, Paraguayan, Uruguayan

dan·de·li·on

noun \ˈdan-d^əl-ˌī-ən\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of DANDELION

: any plant of the genus Taraxacum; especially : an herb (T. officinale) sometimes grown as a potherb and nearly cosmopolitan as a weed

dandelion

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Any of the weedy perennial herbaceous plants that make up the genus Taraxacum, in the aster family, native to Eurasia but widespread in much of temperate North America. The most familiar species, T. officinale, has a rosette of leaves at the base of the plant; a deep taproot; a smooth, hollow stem; and a solitary yellow flower head composed only of ray flowers (no disk flowers). The fruit is a ball-shaped cluster of many small, tufted, one-seeded fruits. The young leaves are edible; the roots can be used as a coffee substitute.