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petal
Definition
A petal is a colourful part of a flower. Petals are often used to attract pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, to the flower.
Petals are usually soft and thin, and they can be many different colours. Some flowers have just a few petals, while others have many.
Petals are important for flowers because they help them to reproduce. When a pollinator lands on a flower, it may pick up pollen from the anthers of the flower. When the pollinator visits another flower, it may transfer the pollen to the stigma of that flower. This allows the flower to fertilise and produce seeds.
How can the word be used?
The petals of the rose were a delicate pink.
Different forms of the word
Noun:
- petal (one of the often brightly coloured modified leaves that make up the corolla of a flower).
- petalous (having petals).
- petaloid (having the form of a petal).
Adjective:
- petaled (having petals).
Etymology
The word "petal" comes from the Greek word "pétalon", which means "leaf, thin plate". The word "pétalon" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *pet-, which means "to spread out".
The word "petal" was first used in English in the 15th century. It was borrowed from the Latin word "petalum", which was also borrowed from the Greek word "pétalon".
Question
What do petals do?