poppies

Noun (1)

poppy (countable and uncountable, plural poppies)

1. Any plant of the genus Papaver or the family Papaveraceae, with crumpled, often red, petals and a milky juice having narcotic properties; especially a common poppy or corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas) which has orange-red flowers; the flower of such a plant.
   • In Flanders fields the poppies blow / Between the crosses, row on row, / That mark our place; […] / If ye break faith with us who die / We shall not sleep, though poppies grow / In Flanders fields.1915 May 3 (date composed), John McCrae, “In Flanders Fields”, in Punch, or The London Charivari, London: Published at the office, 85, Fleet Street, published 8 December 1915, →OCLC; republished in...
2. A bright red colour tinted with orange, like that of the common poppy flower.
3. (Australia, Canada, UK) A simple artificial poppy flower worn in a buttonhole or displayed in other contexts to remember those who died in the two World Wars and other armed conflicts, especially around Remembrance Day/Remembrance Sunday.
   • Troops from the garrison town formed a guard of honour for both sets of players, who emerged for the national anthem with poppies proudly stitched into their tracksuit jackets.2011 November 10, Jeremy Wilson, “England under 21 5 Iceland under 21 0: Match report”, in Tony Gallagher, editor, The Daily Telegraph, London: Telegraph Media Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the...

Noun (2)

poppy (plural poppies)

1. (endearing, informal) One's father or grandfather, or a male authority figure having similar standing.

   Synonyms:

   pappy, pop, poppa, pops, pop-pop

See all 12 meanings of poppy