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

And as Diamond attempts to bring at least some of these partners back into a fold, alternative distribution platforms are popping up like dandelions. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2024

As a result, photovoltaic panels have cropped up like dandelions across fields and rooftops at a stunning pace. —Umair Irfan, Vox, 20 Sep. 2024

The little girl blew on dandelions with Ziggy in a video in the carousel, and posed in a picturesque location in a sweet snapshot. —Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 18 Aug. 2024

And then Edgar-Jones goes to see which way the literal wind blows via a dandelion, and Chung swing the camera around her, looking up at the actor from a low angle. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2024

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

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