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poppy

[ pop-ee ]

noun

plural poppies
  1. any plant of the genus Papaver, having showy, usually red flowers. Compare poppy family.
  2. any of several related or similar plants, as the California poppy or the prickly poppy.
  3. an extract, as opium, from such a plant.
  4. Also called poppy red. an orangish red resembling scarlet.
  5. Architecture. poppyhead.
  6. an artificial flower resembling a poppy, especially one received as evidence of a contribution to a fund for disabled war veterans.


poppy

1

/ ˈ±èÉ’±èɪ /

noun

  1. any of numerous papaveraceous plants of the temperate genus Papaver, having red, orange, or white flowers and a milky sap See corn poppy Iceland poppy opium poppy
  2. any of several similar or related plants, such as the California poppy, prickly poppy, horned poppy, and Welsh poppy
  3. obsolete.
    any of the drugs, such as opium, that are obtained from these plants
    1. a strong red to reddish-orange colour
    2. ( as adjective )

      a poppy dress

  4. a less common name for poppyhead
  5. an artificial red poppy flower worn to mark Remembrance Sunday
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

poppy

2

/ ˈ±èÉ’±èɪ /

adjective

  1. of or relating to pop music
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other ˜yÐÄvlog Forms

  • ±è´Ç±èp²â·±ô¾±°ì±ð adjective
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˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins

Origin of poppy1

before 900; Middle English; Old English ±è´Ç±èæ²µ, papig ≪ Vulgar Latin *±è²¹±èÄå±¹³Ü³¾, for Latin ±è²¹±èÄå±¹±ð°ù
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˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins

Origin of poppy1

Old English ±è´Ç±èæ²µ, ultimately from Latin ±è²¹±èÄå±¹±ð°ù
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Idioms and Phrases

  1. tall poppy, Australian. someone of preeminence or with a large income; important and powerful person.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Here’s a primer for newbies who complain that Southern California has no seasons: You know it’s spring when our orange California poppies start to bloom and the garden tours begin.

From

Don’t be the tallest poppy in the field,’ because when you do this to your family, everything becomes more uncomfortable.

From

To his critics, he is allergic to rival tall poppies and has a long history of provoking simmering resentments and colossal bust ups.

From

On her way out, she grabbed one photo of her late mother sitting in a field of poppies — but nothing else.

From

The poppy bloom, which varies widely from year to year, can blanket the slopes.

From

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More About Poppy

What does poppy mean?

The name poppy can refer to any plant in the poppy family, especially in the genus Papaver, which typically have red, orange, or white showy, solitary flowers.

Varieties include the California poppy, the Oriental poppy, the corn poppy, the Iceland poppy, and the prickly poppy. Poppies are popular in gardens and bouquets.

Poppies release a milky sap that we call latex. Poppy seeds are used in baking and cooking. The variety of poppy known as the opium poppy is used to produce opium, which contains several narcotic substances used in drugs and painkilling medicines (including morphine and codeine).

After World War I, red poppies became a symbol used to remember fallen soldiers. Today, these are often artificial. The poppy is one of the August birth flowers (a flower that’s associated with a particular month in the same way as a birthstone).

Example: My grandfather always pins a poppy to his shirt on Memorial Day.

Completely unrelatedly, the word poppy is also an adjective form of the noun pop, as in pop music, which is simply a shortening of popular. This sense of poppy is used to describe things considered representative of pop.

Example: The band seems like they’re going for more of a poppy sound on their new album. 

Where does poppy come from?

The first records of the word poppy come from before the year 900. It comes from the Old English ±è´Ç±èæ²µ, ultimately from the Latin ±è²¹±èÄå±¹±ð°ù.

The association between poppies and sleep predates the “poppies will make them sleep†scene in The Wizard of Oz. Opium, whose name comes from a Latin word meaning “poppy juice,†contains several narcotic elements, including morphine, that can cause sleepiness. The narco- root in both narcotic and the name of the sleep disorder narcolepsy comes from the Greek ²Ô²¹°ù°ìŧ, meaning “numbness.†The word morphine is based on the name of Morpheus, the Greek god of sleep and dreams.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to poppy?

  • poppylike (adjective)

What are some words that share a root or word element with poppy?Ìý

What are some words that often get used in discussing poppy?

How is poppy used in real life?

Poppies are popular and well-known flowers. They are known for being a symbol of remembrance for fallen soldiers. They are also associated with opium. And their seeds are popular in baked goods like breads and muffins.

Try using poppy!

True or False?Ìý

Latex is derived from poppies.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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