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

Try escarole, spinach, collard or dandelion greens, frisée, or arugula. —Carole Kotkin, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025

Many weeds, such as creeping Charlie (also called ground ivy), dandelions and quack grass, are perennial, meaning their root systems survive throughout the winter to send up those new shoots in spring. —Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2025

The Fiskars Four-Claw Weed Puller Tool is a great option for removing stubborn dandelions and thistle without leaving you with sore knees or an achy back afterwards. —Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 21 May 2025

Growing up in a traditional Italian family, his grandfather would go down near the Verrazano Bridge in lower Manhattan to pick dandelions for dinner. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2025

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