daffodil

Pronunciation: /ˈdæfəˌdɪl/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun any of numerous varieties of Narcissus plants having showy often yellow flowers with a trumpet-shaped central crown

Etymology

Variant of Middle English affodill (“ramson”), from Medieval Latin affodillus, from Latin asphodelus, from Ancient Greek ἀσφόδελος (asphódelos), of Pre-Greek origin. The initial d- is perhaps from merging of the article in Dutch de affodil, the Netherlands being a source for bulbs (compare adder, apron, newt, nickname, orange and umpire for this rebracketing process). Doublet of asphodel.

In classic literature

Synonyms

Narcissus pseudonarcissus

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
narcissus
Narrower (hyponyms)
paper white, jonquil

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