petal

noun

pet·​al ˈpe-tᵊl How to pronounce petal (audio)
: one of the modified often brightly colored leaves of the corolla of a flower see flower illustration
petaled adjective
or petalled
petallike adjective

Examples of petal in a Sentence

flowers with pink and white petals
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.
The Calming Moon treatment features the calming effect of an exfoliation using rose petals & brown sugar, followed by a re-mineralizing rose mud wrap and a relaxing massage. Sherrie Nachman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 Their coffins were driven into Tehran's Azadi Square adorned with their photos and national flags, as crowds waved flags and some reached out to touch the caskets and throw rose petals onto them. USA Today, 29 June 2025 Guests also threw pink petals as the duo made their way down the aisle before the couple posed with friends for a group photo. Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 24 June 2025 Juxtaposing delicate petals with robust woods, vegetation with metallics, and feminine with masculine, Aurner is all of the above. Essence, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for petal

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of petal was in 1712

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Petal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petal. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

petal

noun
pet·​al ˈpet-ᵊl How to pronounce petal (audio)
: one of the often brightly colored modified leaves that make up the corolla of a flower
petaled adjective
or petalled
petallike adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on petal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!