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peony

American  
[pee-uh-nee] / ˈpi ə ni /

noun

  • peonies
    plural
  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

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

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

A deep crimson peony, ‘Red Charm’ is a classic to prevent the planting palette from tipping into tooth-aching sweetness.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 9, 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

Her scarf is held up by a pink peony tonight.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali

Minutes later, a grateful customer gave her a bouquet of pink peonies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 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

Dr. Biden said the dinner had been designed with springtime in Washington in mind, and the decorations would evoke a garden of her favorite flowers, including sweet pea, roses and peonies.

From New York Times ● Apr. 9, 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

Roses and peonies bloomed in the garden; tulips and lilies drooped gracefully in studio vases.

From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman

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