poppy

American  

[pop-ee] / ˈpɒp i /

noun

poppies plural

1. any plant of the genus Papaver, having showy, usually red flowers.

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.

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idioms

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

poppy ¹ British  

/ ˈpɒpɪ /

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

4. 1. a strong red to reddish-orange colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      a poppy dress

5. a less common name for poppyhead

6. an artificial red poppy flower worn to mark Remembrance Sunday

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poppy ² British  

/ ˈpɒpɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to pop music

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Usage

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. 

Other Word Forms

• poppylike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of poppy

before 900; Middle English; Old English popæg, papig ≪ Vulgar Latin *papāvum, for Latin papāver

Explanation

A poppy is a big, bright flower that blooms at the height of summer. Many poppies have brilliant red papery petals. Poppies are beautiful flowers that play a big role in The Wizard of Oz when a field full of the flowers puts Dorothy to sleep. The scene refers to poppies as the source of opium, a powerful, sleep-inducing drug that's made from one species of poppy. Another variety gives us the poppy seeds used on bagels and in lemon muffins. In Britain, poppies are a symbol of Remembrance, the U.K. equivalent of Veteran's Day.

Example Sentences

Flowers played a prominent role, with a spray of daffodils bursting from one skirt or the red-orange petals of California's poppy, the state flower, cascading down a dress.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

PopUp bagels are not much bigger than a palm, and come in just five flavors: plain, poppy, salt, sesame and everything.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

To create the poppy bloom predictor, Klosterman turned to AI initially developed for medical imaging.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Crispy bacon bits, poppy pickled onions, hunks of avocado, corn nuts, everything bagel seasoning, za’atar, toasted breadcrumbs, torn herbs.

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2026

Maester Aemon had given him milk of the poppy, yet even so, the pain had been hideous.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Related Words

• drug
• heroin
• morphine
• opiate