# petal

/ˈpɛtəɫ/ (US) · /pˈɛtəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/petal
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. part of a flower

noun · CEFR B1

one of the thin, colourful parts of a flower that make it look pretty.

For teachers: one of the individual segments of the corolla of a flower, often brightly coloured or scented to attract insects.

- The rose petals fell onto the grass after the heavy rain.
- The botanist carefully removed a single petal to examine the delicate vein structure under the microscope.

Usage: Countable noun.

### 2. term of endearment

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal · Dialect

a friendly name you call someone, similar to 'dear' or 'love'.

For teachers: a familiar term of endearment used to address someone affectionately.

- Don't worry about the mess, petal, I'll help you clean it up.
- In certain northern English dialects, it is common for shopkeepers to address customers as 'petal' regardless of their prior acquaintance.

Teaching tip: This is very regional and informal; learners should be aware of it when visiting the UK but may sound unnatural using it themselves.

## Examples

- The rose dropped a single red petal onto the table.
- Bees are naturally drawn to the bright yellow petals of the sunflower as they search for nectar.
- The delicate structure of the orchid's petals has evolved specifically to guide insects toward the pollen, ensuring the plant's reproductive success through highly specialized interactions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.