peony · noun — A flowering plant of the genus Paeonia with large fragrant flowers.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, peony ranks #9,766 of 17,135 for Most Sublime Words, #10,007 of 17,173 for Funniest Words.
peony is pronounced /ˈpiːəni/.
Why “peony” is a great word
A large, fragrant, and showy flowering plant of the genus Paeonia, also the dark red color of its most iconic bloom. From Old English peonie, from Latin paeōnia, from Hellenistic Ancient Greek παιωνία (paiōnía), from Ancient Greek Παιών (Paiṓn, "Paeon, the physician of the gods")/παιών (paiṓn, "a physician"), reflecting the plant's historical medicinal associations. Unlike the charmingly layered ranunculus or the frilled and spiced carnation, the peony is a solitary, globular explosion—a blush made visible. It is the heavy, honeyed scent that fills a still room, the absurdly soft weight of a bloom cupped in the hand, and the profound, almost bruise-like depth of its classic crimson—a lavish, temporary splendor that feels like a quiet argument against austerity, the physician's flower remembering its divine origins before it falls.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From Old English peonie, peonia et al., from Latin paeōnia; later reinforced by Anglo-Norman peonie, Old French peone, pyoine (French pivoine), from Latin paeōnia, from Hellenistic Ancient Greek παιωνία (paiōnía), from Ancient Greek Παιών (Paiṓn, “Paeon, the physician of the gods”)/παιών (paiṓn, “a physician”).
noun
- A flowering plant of the genus Paeonia with large fragrant flowers.e.g.“The root of the Male Peony fresh gathered has been found by experience to cure the falling-sickness.” — 1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, Folio Society, published 2007, page 219:
- A dark red colour.e.g.“She was a fine and handsome girl—not handsomer than some others, possibly—but her mobile peony mouth and large innocent eyes added eloquence to colour and shape.” — 1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented […], volume I, London: James R[ipley] Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., […], →OCLC, phase the first (The Maiden), page 18:
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- peonylike 74% match — Resembling or characteristic of a peony. vs peony →
- peonidin 71% match — An anthocyanidin responsible for the purplish-red hue of the peony and other flowers. vs peony →
- paeonian 65% match — Of or pertaining to Paeonia or its people vs peony →
- paeonine 65% match — An artificial red nitrogenous dyestuff. vs peony →
- peponium 57% match — Any of the plants of the genus Peponium. vs peony →
- paeonolum 56% match — Synonym of paeonol (“when a plant extract”). vs peony →
- paean 53% match — A chant or song, especially a hymn of thanksgiving for deliverance or victory, to Apollo or sometimes another god or goddess; hence any song sung to solicit victory in battle. vs peony →
- anemone 52% match — Any plant of the genus Anemone, of the Ranunculaceae (or buttercup) family, such as the windflower. vs peony →