Word
dandelion
Phoneticsdan·de·lion
US/ˈdændəˌɫaɪən/
UK/dˈændɪlˌaɪən/
Definitions
01the plant
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a wild plant with a yellow flower and leaves with jagged edges.
n. any of several species of the genus Taraxacum, especially Taraxacum officinale, characterized by notched leaves and yellow flower heads.
“The garden was full of dandelions that had grown between the stones.”
“The common dandelion is often regarded as a stubborn weed by gardeners, yet its leaves are edible and rich in vitamins.”
02the seed head
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the white, fluffy ball of seeds that forms after the yellow flower dies.
n. the globose fruiting head of the plant, consisting of numerous achenes with pappi that facilitate wind dispersal.
“The children picked a dandelion and blew the seeds into the wind.”
“Once the yellow petals wither, the dandelion transforms into a delicate white sphere of seeds ready for dispersal.”
Synonyms
03colour
C1 · Advanced Literary
adj. having a bright yellow colour like the flower of a dandelion.
adj. denoting a bright, saturated yellow hue characteristic of the Taraxacum flower.
“She wore a bright dandelion dress to the summer party.”
“The artist used a vibrant dandelion pigment to capture the intensity of the midday sun in the meadow.”
Etymology
From Middle English dentdelyon, from Old French dent de lion (“lion's tooth”), also in Latin dēns leōnis, referring to the jagged shape of the plant's leaves. The term is now rare in French (together with liondent, calque from Germanic), but compare Spanish diente de león, Portuguese dente-de-leão, Italian dente di leone, German Löwenzahn, Norwegian Bokmål løvetann, Welsh dant y llew, all descendants, calques, or loan translations of the Latin term.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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