/pee"euh nee/ , n. , pl. peonies .
any of various plants or shrubs of the genus Paeonia, having large, showy flowers, as the widely cultivated species P. lactiflora: the state flower of Indiana.
[ bef. 1000; ME peonia, L paeonia paionía peony, akin to Paián PAEAN; r. ME pione peone peonie ]