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Definition of petunia

petunia

/pəˈtuːniə/
pe · tu · ni · a
Plural:petunias
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petunia Lexical Profile

petunia Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A popular ornamental plant of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), native to South America, cultivated widely in gardens for its vibrant, funnel-shaped flowers.

Example

"The horticulturist decided to border the walkway with a dense row of pink and purple petunias."

2

The trumpet-shaped bloom of the petunia plant, commonly grown as a summer annual in hanging baskets, window boxes, and planters.

Example

"She carefully deadheaded each wilted petunia to encourage the plant to produce new blooms."

• Rhymes for petunia

• Nearby Words

petty
petulance
petulantly
petunia
peumo
pew
pewee

Word Origin & Etymology

Early 19th century: from Modern Latin, derived from French 'pétun' (an obsolete word for tobacco), from Tupi 'petý'. The plant was named for its botanical resemblance and genetic relationship to tobacco.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Petunia. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/petunia
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