ˈpäpē, -pi noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English popi, from Old English popig, popæg, modification of (assumed) Vulgar Latin papavum (whence Old French pavo ), alteration of Latin papaver; perhaps akin to Latin papula papule
1. : any of numerous annual, biennial, and perennial herbs or rarely subshrubs of Papaver or sometimes of closely related genera having showy flowers usually of white or shades of red or yellow and including many that are cultivated as ornamentals of which the annuals are derived chiefly from the opium and corn poppies and the perennials from the Oriental poppy, alpine poppy, and Iceland poppy — see capsule illustration
2.
a. : an extract from the poppy used in medicines
b. : something possessing the narcotic qualities of the poppy
3. or poppy red : a strong reddish orange that is redder and lighter than paprika and redder and deeper than fire red, scarlet vermilion, or average coral red
4. : poppyhead