How to pronounce peony

In this post, we’ll explore how to pronounce peony and offer tips to help you confidently say it the next time you talk about this stunning bloom.

If you’ve ever found yourself unsure about how to pronounce the word “peony,” you’re not alone. This beautiful flower, often seen in gardens and bouquets, has a name that can trip up even the most seasoned wordsmiths. Is it PEE-uh-nee or PEE-uh-nie?

Pink peony on the plant with lots of green foliage.

One of my favorite things to do in the spring is head to Trader Joe’s to pick up some flowers. They always have the best ones and they never disappoint.

My favorite flowers to pick up in the spring are peonies. Trader Joe’s always has a riot of different colors.

The last time I was there I heard a woman speaking to her husband about them and she pronounced peony in a very strange way.

This got me thinking, what exactly is the correct way to pronounce peony?

How do you pronounce peony?

So I did what I always do when I have a question, I googled it.

Holy cow I was so shocked at all the different pronunciations!

I know that if you live in different parts of the US that words are pronounced differently but I never realized how many different pronunciations there are for one word!

Here are some of the more common pronunciations of the word:

Pee-oh-nee
Pee-ah-nee
Pee-nee
Pee-own-ee
Pee-yo-nee
Peh-oh-nee
Peh-nee
Peh-own-ee
Peh-yo-nee
Pay-oh-nee

How do you say it? I have always pronounced it pee-oh-nee since it has an o in it.

After more research, I found out that it’s actually supposed to be pronounced: “pee-ah-nee”. Who knew?!

The peony is actually named after the Greek god of medicine and healing, Paeon. Originally it was called Paion and has changed slightly throughout history to become what we now call Peony.

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The peony symbolizes happiness, romance, prosperity, good fortune, and wealth.

Pink peonies and buds on a white piece of fabric next to an open bood and coffee.

*This post contains affiliate links. For more details see my full disclosure.

Peonies – plants and flowers

These are my favorite flowers but their bloom time is so short! I love to get some from Trader Joe’s but I also bought a plant and now have the beautiful blooms in my front yard.

Another great way to decorate with peonies year-round is to decorate with faux peonies.

I have some pretty pink ones I got from Amazon and I love to put them in a white vase in my kitchen.

Pink faux peonies in a white vase with a round cutting board behind it and a salt and pepper jars in front of it.

It’s so weird to hear words pronounced so differently but when you think about it there are a ton of different words that are pronounced differently.

For example caramel, Caribbean, and pecan. Don’t even get me started on how to say pecan!

Other flower posts you might like:

bright pink peonies on a plant next to a stone patio with text overlay.

Wendy Duffy

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As a licensed Real Estate Agent and an avid home decorator, I strive to give my clients the very best I can when it comes to staging, selling, and decorating their homes. I have lots of experience with paint color choices and love to DIY my home so I can have everything just the way I want it. I share my ideas and projects with the world in the hopes that I can help others have their homes just the way they want as well.