"footstalk of a leaf, the support by which the blade of a leaf is attached to the stem," 1753, from French pétiole (18c.), from Late Latin petiolus, a misspelling of peciolus "stalk, stem," literally "little foot," diminutive of pediculus "foot stalk," itself a diminutive of pes (genitive pedis) "foot," from PIE root *ped- "foot." Given its modern sense by Linnaeus. Related: Petiolar; petiolate.
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