I. ˈdāzē, -zi noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English daisie, dayeseye, from Old English dægesēge, dægesēage, from dæg day + ēage eye — more at day , eye
1. : any of numerous composite plants having flower heads with well-developed ray flowers usually arranged in a single whorl or a few whorls: as
a. : a low scapose European herb ( Bellis perennis ) having flower heads with small white or pink ray flowers and yellow disk flowers — called also English daisy
b. : a rather tall leafy-stemmed perennial herb ( Chrysanthemum leucanthemum ) having larger flower heads than the English daisy and long white ray flowers and being often a troublesome weed especially in parts of the U.S. — called also oxeye daisy, white daisy
c. Australia
(1) : swan river daisy
(2) : any plant of the genus Vittadinia
d. New Zealand : a plant of the genus Lagenophora
e. : any of several wild plants of the genera Aster and Erigeron
f. : any of various other composite plants — usually used with a qualifying term; see african daisy , michaelmas daisy , shasta daisy
2. : the flower head of any daisy
3. slang : a person or thing that is first-rate of its kind
he's a real daisy
4. : a tall drink of a spirituous liquor, lime juice or lemon juice, grenadine or raspberry syrup or curaçao, and carbonated water chilled with cracked or shaved ice and garnished with fruit or mint
rum daisy
gin daisy
5.
a. usually daisy ham : a boned and smoked piece of pork from the shoulder
b. : a cheddar cheese of a certain style and weight
II. noun
Usage: usually capitalized
: a member of a program of the Girl Scouts for girls in kindergarten and first grade