Peony

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈpiːəni/

Alternative forms

• paeony

Origin

Old English peonie, peonia et al., from Latin paeōnia; later reinforced by Anglo-Norman peonie, Old French peone, from Latin paeōnia, from Hellenistic Ancient Greek παιωνία, from Ancient Greek Παιών (Paiōn, "Paean, the physician of the gods; a physician").

Full definition of peony

Noun

1. The genus of flowering plants with large fragrant flowers. from 10th c.
• 1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, Folio Society 2007, p. 219:The root of the Male Peony fresh gathered has been found by experience to cure the falling-sickness.
• 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 1, 'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.