peony
Americannoun
-
peonies
plural
noun
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any of various ranunculaceous shrubs and plants of the genus Paeonia, of Eurasia and North America, having large pink, red, white, or yellow flowers
-
the flower of any of these plants
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
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Red
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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.
See Examples For:
There were several more casual, bright yellow gathered chiffon dresses with peony designs.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 12, 2024
I’ve witnessed the magic of a peony going from hot pink to pale coral, watched a tulip’s petals double in size and seen a rose clinging to the last glimmers of its fading bloom.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 22, 2023
I returned home to find a bed of fading peony petals — and a lesson in humility.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 22, 2023
Keep an eye on newly planted peony roots that first winter, in case they heave during temperature swings, Gagan said, and need tucking back in.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 28, 2022
She’d stuck a fresh peony at the front of the crown to dress it up.
From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck
The tall stems of daisies bend above the delicate petals of peonies on a Raspberry Yogurt Basil Cake; a single nasturtium blossom tops an Earl Grey Butterfly Pea Ginger Mini Cake.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
It told me a vase of white peonies in my bedroom contained yellow chrysanthemums, and confidently misidentified a plate of poppadoms as tortilla chips.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2024
Nelson isn’t a purist: She grows a few of the daylilies and peonies, both of which she remembers fondly from her childhood in rural Wisconsin.
From National Geographic ● Dec. 14, 2023
It’s not nearly as pleasant as gathering peonies and plucking berries, but most plant losses hold valuable garden lessons.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 22, 2023
I stood as still as a vase of peonies, fearing that the two of them were about to exchange words that would send me right back to the doorstep of the Home for the Friendless.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
