: one of the modified leaves comprising a calyx see flower illustration
Examples of sepal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Set atop large gray-green leaves, the flowers emerge one at a time from the spathe with three brilliant orange sepals and three bright blue petals.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 May 2025
The sepals of the deep pink flowers are steeped with soul-warming spices and sugar to make a heady, floral refresher.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 11 Apr. 2024
Fine, white powdery substance on the upper leaf surfaces of the youngest leaves, shoots, buds and sepals, which also sometimes include twisted and distorted leaves and flowers and reddening of foliage.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024
Here, the sepals of the deep pink flowers are steeped with soul-warming spices and sugar to make a heady, floral beverage.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 14 Feb. 2024
The sepals and all those fancy Latin words that tell you what’s what.
—Stephen Orr, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2023
Flowers are built from parts named sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels, which are arranged in whorls.
—Dhananjay Khadilkar, Ars Technica, 24 Feb. 2023
The sepals, which are pink, petal-like extensions of the flower, look like wings while the lip (or labellum) mimics the body of a bee.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2020
The flowers endure because the petals are in fact thick structures called sepals.
—Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2020
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.
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 May 2025
The sepals of the deep pink flowers are steeped with soul-warming spices and sugar to make a heady, floral refresher.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 11 Apr. 2024
Fine, white powdery substance on the upper leaf surfaces of the youngest leaves, shoots, buds and sepals, which also sometimes include twisted and distorted leaves and flowers and reddening of foliage.
—Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024
Here, the sepals of the deep pink flowers are steeped with soul-warming spices and sugar to make a heady, floral beverage.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 14 Feb. 2024
The sepals and all those fancy Latin words that tell you what’s what.
—Stephen Orr, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2023
Flowers are built from parts named sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels, which are arranged in whorls.
—Dhananjay Khadilkar, Ars Technica, 24 Feb. 2023
The sepals, which are pink, petal-like extensions of the flower, look like wings while the lip (or labellum) mimics the body of a bee.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2020
The flowers endure because the petals are in fact thick structures called sepals.
—Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Sepal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sepal. Accessed 19 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sepal
noun
se·pal
ˈsēp-əl 
ˈsep-
: one of the specialized leaves that form the calyx of a flower
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share