Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
California poppy

California poppy

4.4
A small plant with bright yellow or orange flowers that grows on California hillsides
  • noun
  • /ˌkælɪˈfɔrnjə ˈpɑpi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : amapola de California
  • California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) bloom beautifully along the Pacific coast, showcasing their vibrant colors.
  • California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
  • orange California poppies

Examples

  • The California poppy blooms in the spring.

  • California poppy is the state flower of California and is beloved for its resilience and beauty.

  • She planted several California poppies in her garden to attract butterflies.

  • The vibrant California poppy blooms each spring, covering hillsides with brilliant color.

  • Have you seen the California poppies in bloom?

  • In spring, the hills shine with patches of California poppies that glow brilliant yellow-orange.

  • When you visit California, don't miss the sight of vast fields filled with bright California poppies swaying in the breeze.

Synonyms

Eschscholtzia californica
vsCalifornia poppy
  • Specialized
9.9

A plant with bright orange cup-shaped flowers, the California poppy

is the common everyday name rather than the Latin scientific name

Surface Forms

California poppy singular
California poppies plural

Morphology

California + poppy

The meaning — a poppy associated with California — is directly and compositionally derived from 'California' (a place name) + 'poppy' (a flowering plant). This place + noun pattern is a regular, cross-linguistically common compound, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

California poppy is named for where it grows and what it is: people saw hills in California covered with bright orange poppy flowers and started calling them California poppies. So the name now means the poppy that grows in California and is the state's 'state flower'.