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peony

American  
[pee-uh-nee] / ˈpi ə ni /

noun

plural

peonies
  1. any of various plants or shrubs of the genus Paeonia, having large, showy flowers, as the widely cultivated species P. lactiflora: the state flower of Indiana.


peony British  
/ ˈpiːənɪ /

noun

  1. any of various ranunculaceous shrubs and plants of the genus Paeonia, of Eurasia and North America, having large pink, red, white, or yellow flowers

  2. the flower of any of these plants

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of peony

before 1000; Middle English < Late Latin peōnia, Latin paeōnia < Greek paiōnía peony, akin to Paiā́n paean; replacing Middle English pione < Anglo-French < Old French peone < Latin; replacing Old English peonie < Late Latin, Latin, as above

Vocabulary lists containing peony

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

According to Peony Hirwani, music journalist at Rolling Stone India, the risk of being overshadowed is low as companies involved with events often ensure local artists are the main support acts.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2025

TJ's scented candles are made with a paraben-free, soy-wax blend that's infused with seasonal fragrances, like Peony Blossom, Cedar Balsam, Honeycrisp Apple, Vanilla Pumpkin and more.

From Salon • Mar. 1, 2023

Stewart did follow up with a post featuring Peony herself, and a matter-of-fact caption:

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2022

The Russian military also has a wide range of powerful Soviet-designed artillery units, which were bizarrely named after flowers, such as self-propelled 203-mm Peony and 152-mm Hyacinth and Acacia self-propelled howitzers.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 3, 2022

They are equally varied in coloring, but the Peony is a much hardier plant, and I like it far better.

From Old-Time Gardens Newly Set Forth by Earle, Alice Morse

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