panicle

noun

pan·​i·​cle ˈpa-ni-kəl How to pronounce panicle (audio)
1
: a compound racemose inflorescence see inflorescence illustration
2
: a pyramidal loosely branched flower cluster
panicled adjective
paniculate adjective

Examples of panicle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Smooth hydrangeas and panicle varieties should be pruned during winter dormancy. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025 These panicles, which can be up to eight inches long, bloom from mid-summer into fall. Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 The tiny flowers are densely packed into plume-like panicles rising above the foliage. Judy Nauseef, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 June 2025 For example, there are compact cultivars of panicle hydrangeas, ninebarks and junipers. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for panicle

Word History

Etymology

Latin panicula, diminutive of panus

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of panicle was in 1577

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Cite this Entry

“Panicle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panicle. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

panicle

noun
pan·​i·​cle ˈpan-i-kəl How to pronounce panicle (audio)
: a branched flower cluster (as of a lilac or some grasses) in which each branch from the main stem has one or more flowers

More from Merriam-Webster on panicle

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