snapdragon
UK[ˈsnæpdræɡən]US[ˈsnæpdræɡən]
n
A garden plant with brightly colored flowers which have a shape resembling a face that can be made to open and shut like a mouth when the sides are pressed.
n
(historical) An imaginary creature or a representation of a dragon's head, used in medieval pageantry and later as a Christmas game involving pulling raisins from burning brandy.
Morpheme Breakdown
snap
dragon
snap
dragon
serpent, dragon
Etymology
The word 'snapdragon' is a transparent compound formed from two English words: 'snap' and 'dragon'. It originated in the 16th century as a direct descriptive name for the flower, whose bloom, when squeezed, opens and shuts its "jaws" in a manner reminiscent of a dragon snapping or biting. This imaginative folk etymology perfectly captures the plant's distinctive morphology. The earlier, unrelated use of the term for a festive game involving a flaming bowl of brandy and raisins also plays on the imagery of a dangerous, fire-breathing creature being "snapped" at by participants.
Analysis
Structure: snap + dragon
- snap: From Middle English snappen (to bite or seize suddenly), of imitative origin. Functional role: Descriptive element indicating a quick, biting action.
- dragon: From Old French dragon, from Latin draconem (nominative draco) meaning "serpent, dragon", from Greek drakon. Functional role: The object or creature being described.
Examples
The children were delighted to pinch the sides of the snapdragon flowers to make the dragon's mouth snap open and shut.
She planted a row of vibrant red snapdragons along the garden path.
In Charles Dickens's "The Pickwick Papers," the characters enjoy a lively game of snapdragon during the Christmas festivities.