dahlia

[ dal-yuh, dahl- or, especially British, deyl- ]
See synonyms for dahlia on Thesaurus.com
noun
  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.

  1. a pale violet or amethyst color.

adjective
  1. of the color dahlia.

Origin of dahlia

1
1791; <New Latin, named after Anders Dahl (died 1789), Swedish botanist; see -ia

Words Nearby dahlia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use dahlia in a sentence

  • They are the most graceful members of the entire dahlia family, allowing me to be judge.

    Amateur Gardencraft | Eben E. Rexford
  • She liked a bulk of colour; and when the dahlia dawned upon our gardens, she gave her heart to dahlias.

    Rhoda Fleming, Complete | George Meredith
  • Policy and dahlia's entreaties at last prevailed with the farmer, and so the fair girl went up to the great city.

    Rhoda Fleming, Complete | George Meredith
  • dahlia and Rhoda taught the children to perceive how they resembled bent old beggar-men.

    Rhoda Fleming, Complete | George Meredith

British Dictionary definitions for dahlia

dahlia

/ (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

Origin of dahlia

1
C19: named after Anders Dahl, 18th-century Swedish botanist; see -ia

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