snapdragon

American  

[snap-drag-uhn] / ˈsnæpˌdræg ən /

noun

1. any plant belonging to the genus Antirrhinum, of the figwort family, especially A. majus, cultivated for its spikes of showy flowers, each having a corolla supposed to resemble the mouth of a dragon.

2. flapdragon.

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snapdragon British  

/ ˈsnæpˌdræɡən /

noun

1. Also called: antirrhinum.  any of several scrophulariaceous chiefly Old World plants of the genus Antirrhinum, esp A. majus, of the Mediterranean region, having spikes of showy white, yellow, pink, red, or purplish flowers

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Etymology

Origin of snapdragon

First recorded in 1565–75; snap + dragon

Explanation

Some snapdragon flowers are a solid color, and others have two colors, but they all resemble a dragon's head. Snapdragons tend to grow in North America, North Africa, and some rocky areas of Europe, coming in colors ranging from white to yellow to pinks and reds. When you squeeze the sides of a snapdragon flower, the "mouth" opens and closes, making it a fun plant for kids. As a garden plant name, snapdragon dates from the 16th century. In the 18th century, it was also the name of a game (now obsolete) that involved eating raisins after snatching them out of burning brandy.

Example Sentences

This 18- to 20-inch-tall snapdragon features open-faced double flowers that start out in shades of orange and orange-red, transitioning to a dusty shade as they age.

From Seattle Times • May 8, 2024

He writes that “a snapdragon is now called an antirrhinum, a word no one can spell”—let alone pronounce—“without consulting a dictionary,” and that “forget-me-nots are coming more and more to be called myosotis.”

From The New Yorker • Jan. 7, 2019

On one side of the mountainous landscape, one subspecies of snapdragon has magenta lips with yellow accents.

From New York Times • Nov. 17, 2017

The purple pigment is the result of the transfer of a gene from a snapdragon plant - the modification triggers a process within the tomato plant allowing the anthocyanin to develop.

From BBC • Jan. 24, 2014

Perhaps two of the smallest flowers of that snapdragon which I see growing in the hedge would fit me.

From Wonder-Box Tales by Ingelow, Jean