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
Features chaste berry, cramp bark, shatavari root, dandelion root and ginger.
—
Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Those were fun days, trying to keep the boys engaged instead of making piles of sand or picking dandelions was a tall task in practice and during the games.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Yellow dandelions bobbed in the breeze.
—Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 14 May 2026
However, both Bolt and Shepherd agree that relying solely on dandelions and other lawn weeds to feed bees for a single month isn't enough.
—Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dandelion
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Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Those were fun days, trying to keep the boys engaged instead of making piles of sand or picking dandelions was a tall task in practice and during the games.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Yellow dandelions bobbed in the breeze.
—Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 14 May 2026
However, both Bolt and Shepherd agree that relying solely on dandelions and other lawn weeds to feed bees for a single month isn't enough.
—Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 May 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 20 May. 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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