# petiole

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɛti.əʊl/ · frequency rank #55,014

## Definitions
1. The stalk of a leaf, attaching the blade to the stem.
2. A narrow or constricted segment of the body of an insect; especially, the metasomal segment of certain Hymenoptera, such as wasps.
3. The stalk at the base of the nest of the paper wasp.

## Etymology
Borrowed from French pétiole, and its source, Late Latin petiolus (“little foot”), diminutive form of Latin pēs (“foot”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/petiole