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

For vegetables and fruits, pet turtles can have dandelions, mustard greens, cantaloupe and bananas, among other options. —Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025

The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoë Schlanger Plants surround us, yet their lives are so different from ours that even a dandelion can seem alien. —Joe Spring, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2024

Researchers believe that dandelion may reduce oxidative stress and reduce various liver injury biomarkers (like AST, ALT, and bilirubin).9 In animal research, dandelion has also been found to reduce liver fibrosis (scarring). —Brittany Lubeck, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 31 Oct. 2024

This is a cross-section image of a dandelion’s curved stigma covered in pollen. —Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 20 Oct. 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