potentilla

noun

po·​ten·​til·​la ˌpō-tᵊn-ˈti-lə How to pronounce potentilla (audio)
: cinquefoil sense 1

Examples of potentilla in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
How to Deadhead Flowers with Many Small Blooms These include coreopsis, feverfew, golden marguerites, lobelia, sweet alyssum, smaller mums, potentilla, flax, aster, blanket flower, and ageratum. — Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026 Plant or prune ground covers to clear dead portions and stimulate new growth — including ice plant, ivy, potentilla and wild strawberry. — Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2025 This also works well on potentilla and summer blooming spirea. — Melinda Myers, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Medieval Latin, garden heliotrope, from Latin potent-, potens

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of potentilla was in 1548

Rhymes for potentilla

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Browse Nearby Words

potentiation
potentilla
potentiometer
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Cite this Entry

“Potentilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potentilla. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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