petunia

noun

pe·​tu·​nia pi-ˈtün-yə How to pronounce petunia (audio)
-ˈtyün-
: any of a genus (Petunia) of tropical South American herbs of the nightshade family that are commonly grown as annuals for their fragrant, colorful, trumpet-shaped flowers

Illustration of petunia

Illustration of petunia

Examples of petunia 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.
Some of these flowering plants include bee balms, columbine flowers, daylilies, lupines and petunias. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 Some petunia varieties, such as Wave petunias and Supertunias, are self-cleaning and do not require deadheading to keep plants blooming. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 4 June 2025 Try some French marigolds, short snapdragon varieties, or begonias. Add a spiller, such as petunias or sweet potato vines, to cascade down the front of the pot. Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 June 2025 Beneath them sat colorful flats of impatiens, pansies, petunias and marigolds. Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for petunia

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from obsolete French petun tobacco, from Tupi petɨ́ma

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of petunia was in 1825

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Petunia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petunia. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

petunia

noun
pe·​tu·​nia pi-ˈt(y)ün-yə How to pronounce petunia (audio)
: any of a genus of tropical South American herbs of the nightshade family widely grown for their showy funnel-shaped flowers

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