dahlia

noun

dahl·​ia ˈdal-yə  ˈdäl- 

 US also and British usually  ˈdāl-

: any of a genus (Dahlia) of American tuberous-rooted composite herbs having opposite pinnate leaves and rayed flower heads and including many that are cultivated as ornamentals

Examples of dahlia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If your garden is wet or has areas of poor drainage over the winter, fall is not the time to plant species that require excellent drainage, such as dahlias, coneflowers, and lavender. —Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Nov. 2025

The early gardens consisted of lily, rose, dahlia, palm, rhododendron and bonsai areas, where both a 1,500-year-old tree and a specimen sent from Japan during President Abraham Lincoln’s term still grow. —Pj Bremier, Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2025

In these zones, dahlias can survive the winter in the ground and regrow again in the spring. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025

The preview videos showed a statue with a Lady Dior bag covered in daisies, and a bee hovering over a dahlia. —Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 22 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, genus name, from Anders Dahl †1789 Swedish botanist

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dahlia

noun

dahl·​ia ˈdal-yə  ˈdäl- 

: any of a genus of American herbs related to the daisies and having brightly colored flower heads and a root that is a tuber