dandelion

noun

dan·​de·​li·​on ˈdan-də-ˌlī-ən 

-dē-

: 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

Examples of dandelion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That bottle of conventional weed killer in your garage is probably doing more than clearing dandelions. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Mar. 2026

Expect desert sunflowers, gold poppy, dandelion and a number of other small, low-to-the-ground flowers. —Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026

Wind transports dandelion seeds, which develop a white, parachute-like mechanism, called a pappus. —Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026

Awaiting us is Garðar's official tour guide, Arnajaraq Bibi Bjerge, the town's schoolteacher and a mother of three, who leads us through Garðar's tall grasses and dandelions to the stone remains of the first cathedral on the North America continent (circa 1126). —Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dandelion

• amphitryon
• hawaiian
• ixion
• orion
• procyon
• visayan
• heian
• ion
• lion
• mayan
• scion

Kids Definition

dandelion

noun

dan·​de·​li·​on ˈdan-də-ˌlī-ən 

: any of a genus of yellow-flowered weedy plants related to the daisies

especially : one with long deeply toothed stemless leaves sometimes grown as a potherb

Etymology

from early French dent de lion "dandelion," literally, "tooth of the lion"; dent derived from Latin dens "tooth" — related to dental

Word Origin

Sometimes plants are named for their resemblance, real or imagined, to animal shapes. The dandelion might not be a plant we would be quick to connect with a lion's teeth. And yet, in early French this common plant with its yellow flowers was called dent de lion, meaning literally "tooth of the lion." The dandelion leaves have deep notches along the edges. These make the leaves appear to have a row of sharp triangular teeth. In time the French name came to be spelled and pronounced as one word when it came into English, giving us dandelion today.

Medical Definition

dandelion

noun

dan·​de·​li·​on ˈdan-dᵊl-ˌī-ən 

: any plant of the genus Taraxacum

especially : an herb (T. officinale) sometimes grown as a potherb and nearly cosmopolitan as a weed