marigold
Americannoun
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marigolds
plural
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any of several chiefly golden-flowered composite plants, especially of the genus Tagetes, as T. erecta, having strong-scented foliage and yielding an oil that repels root parasites.
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any of several unrelated plants, especially of the genus Calendula, as C. officinalis, the pot marigold.
noun
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any of various tropical American plants of the genus Tagetes, esp T. erecta ( African marigold ) and T. patula ( French marigold ), cultivated for their yellow or orange flower heads and strongly scented foliage: family Asteraceae (composites)
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any of various similar or related plants, such as the marsh marigold, pot marigold, bur marigold, and fig marigold
Usage
What does marigold mean? A marigold is a bright orange or yellow flower. The name marigold can be used for any plant in the genus Tagetes. The plants are known for their flowers and fragrant leaves. Common varieties include the French marigold (Tagetes patula), the African marigold (Tagetes erecta), and the Signet marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia). Other unrelated plant species referred to as marigolds include the fig marigold, pot marigold, bur marigold, and marsh marigold. Marigolds are often planted in gardens and are known to attract pollinators. Marigold flowers have cultural significance in Mexico and India, where they are often used for celebrations. Marigolds are also sometimes used in herbal medicine and even in cooking—most marigold flowers are edible. Marigolds are one of the birth flowers for October (a flower that’s associated with a particular month in the same way as a birthstone). Example: I planted marigolds next to my cabbages this year.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of marigold
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Vocabulary lists containing marigold
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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:
The Erawan Shrine remains a popular draw for Chinese and other tourists to the Thai capital, and dozens of visitors made traditional offerings of marigold garlands and incense as usual on Thursday.
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
Autumn brings clay lamps and marigold garlands to the marketplaces of Delhi as people prepare for Diwali, the Festival of Lights.
From Salon ● Oct. 14, 2024
Pennes also planted Mexican marigold to help repel pests and attract wildlife.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2024
And for Ms. Chung, who often focuses on bridging the gap between the technological world and the natural world, the wet marigold seems ideally suited to the moment.
From New York Times ● Mar. 20, 2024
Probably nothing but dainties: butterfly steaks and marigold salads.
From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
He added lowrider pinstripes, bright orange marigolds and papel picado in the foreground.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2024
These include citronella and a few other geranium varieties, marigolds, lemongrass, catnip, certain types of mint, lavender and lantana.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2024
Aguilar’s Day of the Dead celebration included an altar, marigolds, plenty of skulls, papel picado, and even a few heartfelt moments remembering his late parents, legendary musicians and actors Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 2, 2024
Bouquets of marigolds, a flower traditionally used on the altars to guide spirits to their homes, lined the main streets, alongside heaps of debris from destroyed houses and shops.
From Reuters ● Nov. 2, 2023
After white sheets at the hospital, I am glad to see my colorful sheets decorated with yellow and orange marigolds.
From "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Behar
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.
