Dandelion
/ˈdæn.dɪˌlaɪ.ən/noun
A common yellow-flowered plant with toothed leaves and fluffy seed heads.
Did you know?The name comes through Old French *dent de lion* (“lion’s tooth”), a reference to the plant’s jagged leaves, not to any magical creature—though the name still sounds like an old spell.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Latin
Latin
dens leonis
“lion’s tooth”
Old French
Old French
dent de lion
“lion’s tooth”
Middle English
English
dandelion
“the dandelion plant”
Modern English
English
dandelion
“a yellow-flowered plant with toothed leaves and puffball seed heads”