flowering plant

noun

plural flowering plants
: any of a class (Angiospermae) of vascular plants that have male and female reproductive structures enclosed in a flower, that have seeds which arise from ovules contained in the ovaries, and that produce dry or fleshy fruits after double fertilization : angiosperm
The butterflies feed off the nectar of any flowering plant and lay their eggs on what's called a host plant.Michael Fitzpatrick
About 75% of all flowering plants rely on animal pollinators and over 200,000 species of animals act as pollinators.Steve Smith
Duckweed, the smallest flowering plant, measures less than 5 millimeters across.Timothy Cooney et al.

Examples of flowering plant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Foxgloves are perhaps the easiest of the towering flowering plants to grow. Steve Bender, Southern Living, 15 May 2024 Pollinators need flowering plants for the entire growing season, from early spring to winter. Christina Grozinger, The Conversation, 15 May 2024 This type of soluble fiber comes from the husks (seed coat) of some flowering plants. Karen Pallarito, Health, 12 May 2024 But many flowering plants have been spotted in fossils, which can be dated. Veronique Greenwood, New York Times, 11 May 2024 Adding more flowering plants, shrubs and trees to your yard can increase benefits to pollinators. Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 3 May 2024 Lawns with turfgrass don't provide as many resources for pollinators compared with a yard containing an abundance of low-growing flowering plants. Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 3 May 2024 Honeybees pollinate four-fifths of all flowering plants, which makes one-third of the food system dependent on bees. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 May 2024 It’s followed by ragweed (a thin purple-stemmed, green flowering plant) in the fall, which is showing signs of worsening from higher amounts of carbon dioxide in the air. Michaela Mulligan, Miami Herald, 1 May 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flowering plant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flowering plant was in 1725

Dictionary Entries Near flowering plant

Cite this Entry

“Flowering plant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flowering%20plant. Accessed 23 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

flowering plant

noun
: any of a major group of higher plants that produce flowers, fruits, and seeds with the seeds in a closed ovary

called also angiosperm

compare seed plant

More from Merriam-Webster on flowering plant

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