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Definition of petiole - 4 dictionary results

pet⋅i⋅ole

  [pet-ee-ohl]
Use petiole in a Sentence
–noun
1. Botany. the slender stalk by which a leaf is attached to the stem; leafstalk.
2. Zoology. a stalk or peduncle, as that connecting the abdomen and thorax in wasps.
Origin:
1745–55; < NL petiolus leafstalk, special use of L petiolus, scribal var. of peciolus, prob. for *pediciolus, dim. of pediculus pedicle
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pet·i·ole   (pět'ē-ōl')   
n.  

  1. Botany The stalk by which a leaf is attached to a stem. Also called leafstalk.

  2. Zoology A slender, stalklike part, as that connecting the thorax and abdomen in certain insects.


[Latin petiolus, variant of peciolus, little foot, fruit stalk, probably from *pediciolus, diminutive of pediculus; see pedicel.]
pet'i·oled' adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

petiole 
"footstalk of a leaf," 1753, from Fr. pétiole, from Mod.L. petiolus, misspelling of peciolus "stalk, stem," lit. "little foot," dim. of pediculus "foot stalk," itself a dim. of pes (gen. pedis) "foot" (see foot).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

petiole pet·i·ole (pět'ē-ōl')
n.
A stem or pedicle.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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