daisy

noun

dai·​sy ˈdā-zē How to pronounce daisy (audio)
plural daisies
1
: a composite plant (as of the genera Bellis or Chrysanthemum) having a flower head with well-developed ray flowers usually arranged in one or a few whorls: such as
a
: a low European herb (Bellis perennis) with white or pink ray flowers

called also English daisy

b
: a leafy-stemmed perennial herb (Leucanthemum vulgare synonym Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) with long white ray flowers and a yellow disk that was introduced into the U.S. from Europe

called also oxeye daisy

2
: the flower head of a daisy
3
: a first-rate person or thing
4
capitalized : a member of a program of the Girl Scouts for girls in kindergarten and first grade
daisylike adjective
or daisy-like
daisylike flowers

Did you know?

The daisy flower does not just bud, blossom, and die like most other flowers. Rather it performs a daily routine of “sleeping” at night by closing and “waking” in the morning by opening up again. Because of this unusual trait and the whorled appearance of the flower, the daisy was given the Old English name dægeseage, meaning literally “day’s eye.” The distinctive ray-like appearance of the daisy as it opens and closes with the sun reminds one of an eye that opens in the morning and closes at night.

Examples of daisy in a Sentence

while the old crooner is now well past his prime, Grandma still harkens back to the “daisy of a performance” he could give in his heyday
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Potted Shasta daisies perform best with morning sun and protection from the hot afternoon sun. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 28 July 2025 Additional programs include a mandala art and dot painting class, a painting English roses and daisies class and Latin dance. Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 28 July 2025 Related Stories Liu’s dress, styled by Lee Harris, came from Monique Lhuillier and featured white and yellow daisy appliqués scattered across a square-neck bodice and full black tulle skirt. Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 7 June 2025 Here, a hypothetical planet modeled after Earth contains two types of daisies: black daisies that absorb light and warm the planet, and white daisies that reflect light and cool the planet. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for daisy

Word History

Etymology

Middle English dayeseye, from Old English dægesēage, from dæg day + ēage eye

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of daisy was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Daisy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/daisy. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

daisy

noun
dai·​sy ˈdā-zē How to pronounce daisy (audio)
plural daisies
1
: any of numerous plants of the composite family having flower heads with well-developed ray flowers: as
a
: a low-growing European herb with white or pink ray flowers
b
: a tall leafy-stemmed wildflower introduced into America from Europe and having a flower head with a yellow disk in the center surrounded by long white ray flowers
2
: the flower head of a daisy
3
capitalized : a member of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America program for girls in kindergarten and first grade
Etymology

Old English dægesēage "daisy," literally, "day's eye," from dæg "day" and ēage "eye"

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