petunia

[ pi-oo-nyuh, -nee-uh, -tyoo- ]

noun
  1. any garden plant belonging to the genus Petunia, of the nightshade family, native to tropical America, having funnel-shaped flowers of various colors.

  2. a deep, reddish purple.

Origin of petunia

1
1815–25; <New Latin <obsolete French petun tobacco <Tupi petyn;see -ia

Words Nearby petunia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use petunia in a sentence

  • A better known member of the family is the petunia, very handsome, but little better than an annual.

  • There—just opposite—petunia bow in her bonnet—selling kittens.

  • His gaze wandered to Barbara, who, with petunia, was curled up in a big old-fashioned rocker.

    Shavings | Joseph C. Lincoln
  • petunia, perched in lopsided fashion on a heap of mill-sides was, apparently, superintending.

    Shavings | Joseph C. Lincoln
  • The major regarded petunia, who was seated upon the heap of mill- sides, in a most haphazard and dissipated attitude.

    Shavings | Joseph C. Lincoln

British Dictionary definitions for petunia

petunia

/ (pɪˈtjuːnɪə) /


noun
  1. any solanaceous plant of the tropical American genus Petunia: cultivated for their white, pink, blue, or purple funnel-shaped flowers

Origin of petunia

1
C19: via New Latin from obsolete French petun variety of tobacco, from Tupi petyn

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