poppy

1 of 2

noun

pop·​py ˈpä-pē How to pronounce poppy (audio)
plural poppies
1
a
: any of a genus (Papaver of the family Papaveraceae, the poppy family) of chiefly annual or perennial herbs with milky juice, showy regular flowers, and capsular fruits including the opium poppy and several forms cultivated as ornamentals
b
: an extract or decoction of poppy used medicinally
2
: a strong reddish orange

poppy

2 of 2

adjective

pop·​py ˈpä-pē How to pronounce poppy (audio)
poppier; poppiest
: characteristic of popular music especially in being catchy or broadly appealing
"Heart Clicks," the first single and poppiest song on the album, came together overnight as Usher grappled with writer's block.David Friend
Aiming for an off-the-wall yet poppy vibe, his latest single … touches on issues that everyone can relate to in some way.Beverley Knight
… the group—despite its infatuation with raw, bluesy textures—plays with a crispness that makes even its more sardonic numbers seem relatively bright and poppy.Elysa Gardner
By now Chvrches have … repeatedly expressed frustration at people reading unintended messages into their music. Perhaps that's why the two most traditionally poppy songs here are the most pointed: so as to leave no room for misunderstanding.Katherine St. Asaph
A Flock of Seagulls sounded like a more cheerful, poppier version of the guitar-driven Irish band U2 on its first album …Jon Pareles

Examples of poppy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Just west of the eponymous county seat, Montaña de Oro State Park is a particularly notable spot thanks to its high concentration of poppies, while its scenic beaches also hold added opportunity for marine wildlife lovers thanks to its many tidal pools. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 The wet weather that has rejuvenated the city’s namesake lake may also bring even more poppies this spring. Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 The Lego Icons Flower Bouquet features 15 stems of leaves and various colorful flowers, including roses, poppies, and daisies. Katrina Cossey, Parents, 14 Feb. 2024 Explosive images: Uber-huge blooms, like poppies, are splashed on bed linens. Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024 The best-selling set comes with 15 stems and a mix of flower and leaf varieties, including roses, snapdragons, poppies, asters, daisies, and grasses. Sarah Toscano and Jennifer Maldonado, EW.com, 22 June 2023 Other signs of global Palestinian solidarity include keys, spoons, olives, doves, poppies, and the keffiyeh scarf. Anna Furman, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Jan. 2024 Videos circulated of Muslims praying in the streets of Westminster and volunteers, selling poppies to raise money for veterans, caught up in pro-Palestinian sit-ins in railway stations. Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 15 Nov. 2023 At its center is the laying of wreaths made of bright red poppies. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 12 Nov. 2023
Adjective
After closing to tourists in past years to protect the blooms and avoid the traffic headaches brought on by visiting flower fans, the city is now considering whether to make the poppy fields along the shore accessible to visitors. Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Soldiers uproot the poppy plants from a field or two and file a report: mission accomplished. Alma Guillermoprieto, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 Due to dry conditions, poppy displays will be spotty. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 24 Feb. 2024 Grab it in solid neutrals or poppy prints that will make a statement this season. Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2024 One print is a poppy design that resembles animal print that dates back decades. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 20 Feb. 2024 Opium, the base from which morphine and heroin are produced, is harvested from poppy flowers. Grant Peck, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Dec. 2023 This was first pioneered by the Jelly Epoch keyboard, which became incredibly popular within the keyboard community for its unique, poppy sound. Henri Robbins, WIRED, 25 Jan. 2024 On the holiday, scores of protesters wearing poppy pins marched across London calling for an end to the war in Gaza. Anna Furman, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'poppy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English popi, from Old English popæg, popig, modification of Latin papaver

Adjective

pop entry 6 + -y entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of poppy was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near poppy

Cite this Entry

“Poppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poppy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

poppy

noun
pop·​py ˈpäp-ē How to pronounce poppy (audio)
plural poppies
: any of a genus of herbs that have milky juice, showy flowers, and a fruit that is a capsule and include one that is the source of opium and several that are grown as ornamental plants

Medical Definition

poppy

noun
pop·​py ˈpäp-ē How to pronounce poppy (audio)
plural poppies
: any herb of the genus Papaver (family Papaveraceae, the poppy family)
especially : opium poppy

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