plural poppies
1
a
: any of a genus (Papaver of the family Papaveraceae, the poppy family) of chiefly annual or perennial herbs with milky juice, showy regular flowers, and capsular fruits including the opium poppy and several forms cultivated as ornamentals
b
: an extract or decoction of poppy used medicinally
2
: a strong reddish orange
poppier; poppiest
: characteristic of popular music especially in being catchy or broadly appealing
"Heart Clicks," the first single and poppiest song on the album, came together overnight as Usher grappled with writer's block.—
David Friend
David FriendAiming for an off-the-wall yet poppy vibe, his latest single … touches on issues that everyone can relate to in some way.—Beverley Knight
Beverley Knight… the group—despite its infatuation with raw, bluesy textures—plays with a crispness that makes even its more sardonic numbers seem relatively bright and poppy.—Elysa Gardner
Elysa GardnerBy now Chvrches have … repeatedly expressed frustration at people reading unintended messages into their music. Perhaps that's why the two most traditionally poppy songs here are the most pointed: so as to leave no room for misunderstanding.—Katherine St. Asaph
Katherine St. AsaphA Flock of Seagulls sounded like a more cheerful, poppier version of the guitar-driven Irish band U2 on its first album …—Jon Pareles
Jon ParelesExamples of poppy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebUSA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
These gorgeous silk poppies are perfect for sitting in your favorite vase.
—Taylor Gumm, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024
Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant is an excellent spot to stay for nature enthusiasts; the property has 25 barn rooms, a spa, a pool, an on-site garden with a chicken coop, and a hiking trail brimming with poppies.
—Krista Simmons and J.d. Simkins, Sunset Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024
While the irises are the stars of the show, they’re all set against a backdrop of other beautiful perennials like lupine, allium, poppies, and delphinium.
—Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Just west of the eponymous county seat, Montaña de Oro State Park is a particularly notable spot thanks to its high concentration of poppies, while its scenic beaches also hold added opportunity for marine wildlife lovers thanks to its many tidal pools.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
The wet weather that has rejuvenated the city’s namesake lake may also bring even more poppies this spring.
—Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024
The Lego Icons Flower Bouquet features 15 stems of leaves and various colorful flowers, including roses, poppies, and daisies.
—Katrina Cossey, Parents, 14 Feb. 2024
Explosive images: Uber-huge blooms, like poppies, are splashed on bed linens.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024
Patrick Winn, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2024
California's poppy blooms, the official state flower, are a major attraction in the sunshine state.
—USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
Mike ultimately thinks the hate resulted from what's known as tall poppy syndrome.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 30 Mar. 2024
While the return of the Taliban means opium production in Afghanistan has plummeted by 95%, poppy cultivation in Myanmar more than doubled in 2022 and continued to grow last year.
—TIME, 21 Mar. 2024
The large plots of land where her family once grew plentiful wheat, and occasionally poppy for opium, have long since gone barren.
—Lynsey Addario Victoria Kim, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024
Her original poppy garden reseeded and spread down the river and over much of Old Town.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2024
My next stops: the Antelope Valley poppy fields, the Tehachapi Mountains to search for California condors and Arvin Cross to look for more wildflowers.
—Raul Roa, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
After closing to tourists in past years to protect the blooms and avoid the traffic headaches brought on by visiting flower fans, the city is now considering whether to make the poppy fields along the shore accessible to visitors.
—Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024
Noun
Some flowers need more sunshine and bloom later in spring such as magnolias, echinacea, roses and poppies.
—USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
These gorgeous silk poppies are perfect for sitting in your favorite vase.
—Taylor Gumm, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024
Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant is an excellent spot to stay for nature enthusiasts; the property has 25 barn rooms, a spa, a pool, an on-site garden with a chicken coop, and a hiking trail brimming with poppies.
—Krista Simmons and J.d. Simkins, Sunset Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024
While the irises are the stars of the show, they’re all set against a backdrop of other beautiful perennials like lupine, allium, poppies, and delphinium.
—Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Just west of the eponymous county seat, Montaña de Oro State Park is a particularly notable spot thanks to its high concentration of poppies, while its scenic beaches also hold added opportunity for marine wildlife lovers thanks to its many tidal pools.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
The wet weather that has rejuvenated the city’s namesake lake may also bring even more poppies this spring.
—Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024
The Lego Icons Flower Bouquet features 15 stems of leaves and various colorful flowers, including roses, poppies, and daisies.
—Katrina Cossey, Parents, 14 Feb. 2024
Explosive images: Uber-huge blooms, like poppies, are splashed on bed linens.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024
Adjective
His handwritten reports contained coordinates of heroin refineries and upcountry poppy farms, even rosters of corrupt police.
—Patrick Winn, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2024
California's poppy blooms, the official state flower, are a major attraction in the sunshine state.
—USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
Mike ultimately thinks the hate resulted from what's known as tall poppy syndrome.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 30 Mar. 2024
While the return of the Taliban means opium production in Afghanistan has plummeted by 95%, poppy cultivation in Myanmar more than doubled in 2022 and continued to grow last year.
—TIME, 21 Mar. 2024
The large plots of land where her family once grew plentiful wheat, and occasionally poppy for opium, have long since gone barren.
—Lynsey Addario Victoria Kim, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024
Her original poppy garden reseeded and spread down the river and over much of Old Town.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2024
My next stops: the Antelope Valley poppy fields, the Tehachapi Mountains to search for California condors and Arvin Cross to look for more wildflowers.
—Raul Roa, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
After closing to tourists in past years to protect the blooms and avoid the traffic headaches brought on by visiting flower fans, the city is now considering whether to make the poppy fields along the shore accessible to visitors.
—Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'poppy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Poppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poppy. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
poppy
noun
pop·py
ˈpäp-ē 
plural poppies
: any of a genus of herbs that have milky juice, showy flowers, and a fruit that is a capsule and include one that is the source of opium and several that are grown as ornamental plants
Medical Definition
poppy
noun
pop·py
ˈpäp-ē
plural poppies
: any herb of the genus Papaver (family Papaveraceae, the poppy family)
especially
: opium poppy
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