Illustration of petunia
petunia
noun
pe·tu·nia
pi-ˈtün-yə 
-ˈtyün-
: any of a genus (Petunia) of tropical South American herbs of the nightshade family that are commonly grown as annuals for their fragrant, colorful, trumpet-shaped flowers
Examples of petunia in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
All petunia plantings need a moist but not wet soil.
—
Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
Even a few containers of petunias on a balcony or a single bee balm plant in a sunny bed can make a difference.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2026
Trailing geraniums, petunias, and chartreuse or purple sweet potato vines can be alternated around the sides of the pot.
—ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Possibly the most popular summer annual, petunias can be found in every color of the rainbow, as well as striped and speckled.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for petunia
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
Even a few containers of petunias on a balcony or a single bee balm plant in a sunny bed can make a difference.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2026
Trailing geraniums, petunias, and chartreuse or purple sweet potato vines can be alternated around the sides of the pot.
—ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Possibly the most popular summer annual, petunias can be found in every color of the rainbow, as well as striped and speckled.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for petunia
Cite this Entry
“Petunia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petunia. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
petunia
noun
pe·tu·nia
pi-ˈt(y)ün-yə
: any of a genus of tropical South American herbs of the nightshade family widely grown for their showy funnel-shaped flowers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
