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dahlia

American  
[dal-yuh, dahl-, dayl-] / ˈdæl jə, ˈdɑl-, ˈdeɪl- /

noun

  • dahlias
    plural
  1. any composite plant of the genus Dahlia, native to Mexico and Central America and widely cultivated for its showy, variously colored flower heads.

  2. the flower or tuberous root of a dahlia.

  3. a pale violet or amethyst color.


adjective

  1. of the color dahlia.

dahlia British  
/ ˈdeɪljə /

noun

  1. any herbaceous perennial plant of the Mexican genus Dahlia , having showy flowers and tuberous roots, esp any horticultural variety derived from D. pinnata : family Asteraceae (composites)

  2. the flower or root of any of these plants

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of dahlia

1791; < New Latin, named after Anders Dahl (died 1789), Swedish botanist; see -ia


Vocabulary lists containing dahlia

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:

“I didn’t want to completely lose my old self, but I wanted to let it wilt in a way,” they say, explaining how they saw themselves reflected in the dahlia.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2026

A total eclipse of the sun is said to look like a black dahlia or a monochrome sunflower.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2024

Named for the dahlia flower whose petals bloom in concentric arrays , the dahliagram's "petals" illustrate the relative impact of different pull and push factors contributing to human behavior over time.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 22, 2023

English Heritage has also re-started a dahlia competition - a "New Hero of Stonehenge" will be chosen.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2023

I have no idea if the actual dahlia flower smells this good, but this lotion is working just right for me today.

From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper

They mingle with puffy red and fuchsia dahlias and purple phlox, as well as hydrangeas, sedum and Creeping Jenny, a ground cover that doubles as paths for strolling.

From Seattle Times ● May 22, 2024

However, Mr Armitage said her "very striking" composition of red and orange late summer flowers, which included dahlias, crocosmia and rose hips, left judges "bowled over" with its technical quality.

From BBC ● Dec. 2, 2023

Tables will be festooned with pink roses, Australian eucalyptus, dahlias and delphiniums.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 25, 2023

The experience has empowered her to consider next year’s growing season, which she hopes will include dahlias, foxglove and amaranth.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2023

Now he saw her as a frail woman content to do tiny things; to grow and cultivate small life that would not hurt her if it died: rhododendron, goldfish, dahlias, geraniums, imperial tulips.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison

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