bloom

¹bloom

noun \ˈblüm\

Definition of BLOOM

1

: a mass of wrought iron from the forge or puddling furnace

2

: a bar of iron or steel hammered or rolled from an ingot

Origin of BLOOM

Middle English blome lump of metal, from Old English blōma

First Known Use: before 12th century

Other Metals and Metallurgy Terms

assay, bullion, ductile, ingot, malleable, patina, plate, temper, tensile

Rhymes with BLOOM

boom, broom, brume, combe, cwm, doom, flume, fume, gloom, glume, groom, khoum, loom, neume, plume, rheum, room, spume, tomb, toom, vroom, whom, womb, zoom

²bloom

noun

Definition of BLOOM

1

a : flower

b : the flowering state <the roses in bloom>

c : a period of flowering <the spring bloom>

d : a rapid and excessive growth of a plankton population (as of algae or dinoflagellates) — compare red tide

2

a : a state or time of beauty, freshness, and vigor

b : a state or time of high development or achievement <a career in full bloom>

3

: a surface coating or appearance: as

a : a delicate powdery coating on some fruits and leaves

b : a rosy appearance of the cheeks; broadly : an outward evidence of freshness or healthy vigor

c : a cloudiness on a film of varnish or lacquer

d : a grayish discoloration on chocolate

e : glare caused by an object reflecting too much light into a television camera

Origin of BLOOM

Middle English blome, from Old Norse blōm; akin to Old English blōwan to blossom — more at blow

First Known Use: 13th century

Other Paints and Dyes Terms

craze, medium, size, vehicle

³bloom

verb

Definition of BLOOM

intransitive verb

1

a : to produce or yield flowers

b : to support abundant plant life <make the desert bloom>

2

a (1) : to mature into achievement of one's potential (2) : to flourish in youthful beauty, freshness, or excellence

b : to shine out : glow

3

: to appear or occur unexpectedly or in remarkable quantity or degree

4

: to become densely populated with microorganisms and especially plankton —used of bodies of water

transitive verb

1

obsolete : to cause to bloom

2

: to give bloom to

Examples of BLOOM

1. flowers blooming in the garden
2. Their love was just beginning to bloom.

First Known Use of BLOOM

13th century

Related to BLOOM

Synonyms

blossom, blow, burgeon (also bourgeon), effloresce, flower, unfold

Related Words

leaf, leave; bud; open

Near Antonyms

dry up, fade, shrivel, wilt, wither; die, drop, expire, perish

Bloom

biographical name \ˈblüm\

Definition of BLOOM

Harold 1930–     Am. literary critic