petal

noun

pet·​al ˈpe-tᵊl 

: one of the modified often brightly colored leaves of the corolla of a flower see flower illustration

petaled adjective

or petalled

ˈpe-tᵊld 

petallike

ˈpe-tᵊl-ˌ(l)īk 

adjective

Examples of petal in a Sentence

flowers with pink and white petals

Recent Examples on the Web

Once poured, some of the candles are embellished with petals, flowers, leaves and herbs from Wolfer’s home garden. —Sarah Kyrcz, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026

This variety has dusky or grayish-black foliage whose trumpet flowers show off petals ranging from salmon to orange-red to an occasional yellow with orange markings. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026

Even one rainy or windy day can bring a swift end to the ephemeral light pink glow along the Tidal Basin and other sites throughout the city, jettisoning the petals altogether. —ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026

Its flowers, in contrast, are bright and yellow, each made of five petals, which, fused at the base, form a structure resembling a star. —Andrés Muedano, JSTOR Daily, 25 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin petalum, from Greek petalon; akin to Greek petannynai to spread out — more at fathom

First Known Use

1712, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing petal

• banner petal
• standard petal

Rhymes for petal

• betel
• cetyl
• kettle
• metal
• mettle
• nettle
• setal
• settle
• diacetyl
• gunmetal
• nonmetal
• resettle

Kids Definition

petal

noun

pet·​al ˈpet-ᵊl 

: one of the often brightly colored modified leaves that make up the corolla of a flower

petaled adjective

or petalled

-ᵊld 

petallike

-ᵊl-ˌ(l)īk 

adjective