chrysanthemum
Americannoun
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chrysanthemums
plural
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any of several composite plants of the genus Chrysanthemum, as C. leucanthemum, the oxeye daisy, having white ray flowers with a yellow center.
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any cultivated variety of the plant C. morifolium, native to China, and of other species of Chrysanthemum, notable for the diversity of color and size of their autumnal flowers.
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the flower of any such plant.
noun
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any widely cultivated plant of the genus Chrysanthemum, esp C. morifolium of China, having brightly coloured showy flower heads: family Asteraceae (composites)
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any other plant of the genus Chrysanthemum, such as oxeye daisy
Usage
What does chrysanthemum mean? The name chrysanthemum is used to refer to a number of plants known for their showy flowers that come in a variety of colors, including yellow, orange, pink, purple, red, and yellow. The name can refer to the flower or the plant and can be used for any plant in the genus Chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemums are often referred to with the shortened name mums. Chrysanthemums are one of the November birth flowers (a flower that’s associated with a particular month in the same way as a birthstone). In parts of the U. S., chrysanthemums are a popular decoration for the fall season. The flowers also have cultural significance in East Asia, particularly In Japan and China. The chrysanthemum is the official flower of the city of Chicago. Example: In the fall, we like to decorate our front port with chrysanthemums and pumpkins.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of chrysanthemum
1570–80; < Latin < Greek chrȳsánthemon, equivalent to chrȳs- chrys- + ánthemon flower, akin to ánthos; see antho-
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It’s the modern-day version of a row of bayonets facing down an anti-war demonstrator with a chrysanthemum, with an added veneer of 2025 stupidity courtesy of Subway.
From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2025
As Elizabethan folk songs replaced Aldous' voice, Francis took a chrysanthemum and held it to Matthew's nose before scattering its petals across the sheepskin rug.
From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2025
The Weibo microblogging platform turned its "like" button into a "mourn" icon in the shape of a chrysanthemum on its mobile app.
From Reuters ● Oct. 27, 2023
The chrysanthemum leaves, the chartreuse of the teapot inlay and the antique bronze are different shades of green — but all come from malachite.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 22, 2023
The princess's emblem shines on the rich wood—a chrysanthemum blooming inside a jeweled petit-crown.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
The story leaps two autumns ahead, when Odd happens along and helps Sook and Buddy as they struggle to haul a tub of chrysanthemums to their porch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
She said chrysanthemums, traditionally used in floral tributes on graves, had risen up to five times their price post-Covid and post-Brexit, while another florist told the BBC prices for flowers had more than doubled.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2025
Come October, it’s impossible to walk into a supermarket or hardware store without seeing an army of potted chrysanthemums in many sizes and colors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 2, 2025
Then she bends to put yellow chrysanthemums in a vase on Kristina's grave.
From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2024
The borders are lush with flowers: tulips and daffodils, irises, peonies, pinks, chrysanthemums, something for every season.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
