pet·al (p?t?l)n. One of the often brightly colored parts of a flower immediately surrounding the reproductive organs; a division of the corolla.[New Latin petalum, from Greek petalon, leaf; see pet?- in Indo-European roots.]pet?aled, pet?alled adj.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.petal (?p?t?l) n (Botany) any of the separate parts of the corolla of a flower: often brightly coloured[C18: from New Latin petalum, from Greek petalon leaf; related to petannunai to lie open] ?petaline adj ?petal-?like adj ?petalled adjCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014pet?al (?p?t l) n. one of the often colored segments of the corolla of a flower. [1695?1705;