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snapdragon

snapdragon

7 5.3
A garden flower with spikes of bright flowers that look like a dragon's face
  • noun
  • /ˈsnæpˌdræɡən/
translation icon : boca de dragón
  • During spring, I love to see the snapdragons lining the pathway with their unique dragon-like blooms.

But I grew tomatoes and Peppers, eggplant, snapdragons, straw flowers, sweet peas.

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Examples

  • I've got some new snapdragons that need to be planted.

  • Then came daisies with heather and an enormous basket of gladiolus, astromeria, and snapdragons.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • There they are snapdragons and violas that have seen better days.

  • In honor of the new beginning, she buys flats of snapdragons and petunias and plants them in a sunny border.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • There was a profusion of petunias by the doorstep and a colony of snapdragons under the window.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Louise admires the marigolds, snapdragons, and petunias in bloom.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Marigolds, snapdragons, roses, blanket flowers, zinnias, sweet peas, any annual that has multiple blooms over the season.

  • Gladioli, peonies still, sweet peas, snapdragons, and weedless rows of vegetables fill the gardens that border the road.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • In my garden, the snapdragons bloom in vibrant colors, attracting hummingbirds.

  • The florist arranged a beautiful bouquet that included snapdragons and daisies.

Synonyms

Antirrhinum
vssnapdragon
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of garden plants with bright, unusual flowers called snapdragons

is the garden plant term for those same dragon-like flower spikes
Antirrhinum majus
vssnapdragon
  • Specialized
9.9

A garden plant with colorful snapdragon flowers often in purple or pink

is the garden plant often seen in beds for showy flower spikes
9.3

A plant from the Mediterranean that lives for many years and has purple or pink flowers

is the garden plant noted for dragon-like flower spikes
wild snapdragon
vssnapdragon
  • UK
7.0

A plant with bright yellow and orange flowers that grows wild and can be a weed

is the cultivated garden variety prized for ornamental spikes
white snapdragon
vssnapdragon
  • US
9.3

A garden plant with tall stems of white flowers

is the garden plant known for bright multicolored dragon-like spikes
yellow twining snapdragon
vssnapdragon
  • US
9.9

A climbing plant with yellow flowers that twists around other plants

is the garden plant with upright spikes rather than twining stems

Compounds

A plant from the Mediterranean that lives for many years and has purple or pink flowers

A garden plant with tall stems of white flowers

A plant with bright yellow and orange flowers that grows wild and can be a weed

A climbing plant with yellow flowers that twists around other plants

Surface Forms

snapdragon singular
snapdragons plural

Morphology

snapdragon = snap + dragon (semi-transparent) = snap + dragon

The components 'snap' and 'dragon' are literal and recognizable, but the compound names the plant metaphorically for its dragon-like, snap‑shaped flowers, so learners may not infer 'garden plant' directly.

Etymology

Snapdragon comes from the parts snap ('open and shut quickly') and dragon ('a large, mythical animal') because each flower looks like a little dragon face that opens and closes when you press it, so the name helps you remember the plant's mouth-like flowers.