peony

noun

pe·​o·​ny ˈpē-ə-nē 

plural peonies

1

: any of a genus (Paeonia of the family Paeoniaceae) of chiefly Eurasian plants with large often double flowers

2

: the flower of a peony

Examples of peony in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Choose from 100 varieties, including peonies in the spring and gladiolus in the summer. —Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 3 June 2026

Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour Shakira is standing in front of a full-length mirror, fixing a flower crown of pink and white roses and peonies on her head. —Jeff Nelson, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026

Nicole Calvin has been visiting the University of Michigan campus annually over the past 16 years to catch a peek — and a whiff — of the school's sizable peony collection. —CBS News, 1 June 2026

Include Flowers With Long Bloom Periods While the peonies and larkspur in this garden won't last long, the blue catmint in the foreground will bloom for months. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English piony, from Anglo-French peonie, pioiné, from Latin paeonia, from Greek paiōnia, from Paiōn Paeon, physician of the gods

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing peony

• tree peony

Kids Definition

peony

noun

pe·​o·​ny ˈpē-ə-nē 

plural peonies

: any of a genus of plants that are widely grown for their large red, pink, or white flowers