Illustration of dandelion
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
Examples of dandelion in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Guitar strums peak through the mix like fresh blades of grass and sweeping drums gently carry the songs forward, while Lenae sounds sweeter than ever, her airy vocals chasing the wind like white dandelion puffs.
—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
25 June 2026
Even little flowering dandelions in a bud vase add beauty.
—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
23 June 2026
These are among the hardest weeds to manage and include plants like plantain, dandelion, and nutsedge.
—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
Perennial weeds include dandelions, burdock, thistle and plantains while Queen Anne’s lace and garlic mustard are some biennial ones.
—
Dawn Pettinelli,
Hartford Courant,
13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dandelion
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Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
25 June 2026
Even little flowering dandelions in a bud vase add beauty.
—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
23 June 2026
These are among the hardest weeds to manage and include plants like plantain, dandelion, and nutsedge.
—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
Perennial weeds include dandelions, burdock, thistle and plantains while Queen Anne’s lace and garlic mustard are some biennial ones.
—
Dawn Pettinelli,
Hartford Courant,
13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dandelion
Cite this Entry
“Dandelion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dandelion. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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