'petal' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'petalon', where 'petalon' meant 'leaf' or 'thin plate'.

'petal' changed from Greek 'petalon' into Late Latin/Medieval Latin forms and Old French 'pétale', and eventually became the modern English word 'petal'.

Initially, it meant 'leaf' or 'thin plate', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'one of the colored segments of a flower'.