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

His idyllic days were marked with sea breezes, rose petals scattered on the beach, and rosehips growing amidst seagrass, honeysuckle, and black-raspberry vines. — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026

Per Vogue, this was in part due to the hand embroidery of each organza petal, which were individually beaded and hand-applied to the gown. — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Aug. 2026

One of the more striking cultivars is ‘Greenheart Orange’, which has orange petals radiating out from a lime-green center. — David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 7 Aug. 2026

Within the cluster, the individual mushrooms layer with each other similar to how rose petals grow. — Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 6 Aug. 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
• acetyl
• bimetal
• gunmetal
• nonmetal

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