: a composite plant (as of the genera Bellis or Chrysanthemum) having a flower head with well-developed ray flowers usually arranged in one or a few whorls: such as
a
: a low European herb (Bellis perennis) with white or pink ray flowers
called alsoEnglish daisy
b
: a leafy-stemmed perennial herb (Leucanthemum vulgare synonym Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) with long white ray flowers and a yellow disk that was introduced into the U.S. from Europe
called alsooxeye daisy
2
: the flower head of a daisy
3
: a first-rate person or thing
4
capitalized: a member of a program of the Girl Scouts for girls in kindergarten and first grade
The daisy flower does not just bud, blossom, and die like most other flowers. Rather it performs a daily routine of “sleeping” at night by closing and “waking” in the morning by opening up again. Because of this unusual trait and the whorled appearance of the flower, the daisy was given the Old English name dægeseage, meaning literally “day’s eye.” The distinctive ray-like appearance of the daisy as it opens and closes with the sun reminds one of an eye that opens in the morning and closes at night.
while the old crooner is now well past his prime, Grandma still harkens back to the “daisy of a performance” he could give in his heyday
Recent Examples on the WebCelebrity nail artist Kimmie Kyees is behind the simple-yet-stunning mani, and recommends using a bobby pin to create the daisy design. Hannah Kerns, Peoplemag, 22 Aug. 2022 The other plants are just fillers for aesthetic purposes and will likely not persist with the possible exception of the English lawn daisy.oregonlive, 27 Feb. 2022 The daisy-like blossoms also repel deer and attract butterflies. Katarina Avendano, Good Housekeeping, 8 July 2022 Blooming in shades of purple, pink, and white, these daisy-like wildflowers bloom throughout summer and can thrive in poor soil conditions. Terri Robertson, Country Living, 27 June 2022 The daisy — spirit (often brandy), lemon, liquid sweetener, like grenadine, and sometimes fizz — begat the margarita. Liza Weisstuch, BostonGlobe.com, 14 June 2022 What’s remarkable about the seemingly fragile daisy is its ability to adapt to the inhospitable limestone prairie. Peter Krouse, cleveland, 27 May 2022 A month ago, the Center for Biological Diversity, in conjunction with the California Native Plant Society, submitted petitions with state and federal wildlife agencies seeking to have the Inyo rock daisy listed as a threatened or endangered species. Louis Sahagúnstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2022 There are three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports for connecting multiple high-resolution displays or up to three Thunderbolt peripherals directly with support for daisy-chaining up to a total of five Thunderbolt devices. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English dayeseye, from Old English dægesēage, from dæg day + ēage eye
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of daisy was before the 12th century