blossom

1 of 2

noun

blos·​som ˈblä-səm 

plural blossoms

1

a

: the flower of a flowering plant

apple blossoms

also : the mass of such flowers on a single plant

b

: the state of bearing flowers

plants in blossom

2

: a peak period or stage of development

… young women and men still in the blossom of life.

—Allen Best

blossomy

ˈblä-sə-mē 

adjective

a blossomy [=floral] aroma

An old gray house, surrounded by willows, in a blossomy brook valley …

—Lucy Maud Montgomery

blossom

2 of 2

verb

blossomed; blossoming; blossoms

intransitive verb

1

: bloom

2

a

: to come into one's own : develop

a blossoming talent

b

: to become evident

c

: to make an appearance

Synonyms of blossom

Noun

• bloom
• blooming

Verb

• flower
• bloom

Examples of blossom in a Sentence

Noun

Her hair smelled of apple blossoms.

in the full blossom of her career as a writer

Verb

Their friendship blossomed into romance.

the fruit tree seemed to blossom overnight once the warm spring weather arrived

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Every wedding, every cherry blossom season in Japan, every birth, reactor accidents too, swarms of insects, kittens playing with woolen balls, people disfigured by war, palm trees at sunset—five billion photos a day. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

Deadheading will keep blossoms in full supply, while also promoting bushier growth, giving them a neat and tidy appearance, and prevents seed formation that leads to reseeding. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 June 2026

Verb

The 21-year-old plays shortstop and third base for the Tigers and has quickly blossomed into a star for Detroit in his rookie season. — Joe Holden, CBS News, 1 July 2026

While Drury trained in Tokyo and Hernandez made her commentary debut for NBC, their relationship blossomed. — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English blosme, from Old English blōstm; akin to Old English blōwan

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for blossom

• awesome
• possum
• lysosome
• opossum
• odontoglossum

Kids Definition

blossom

1 of 2 noun

blos·​som ˈbläs-əm 

1

: the flower of a seed plant

apple blossoms

also : the mass of such flowers on a single plant

a light blossom on the rose bush

2

: bloom entry 1 sense 1b

3

: a peak period or stage of development

blossomy

-ə-mē 

adjective

blossom

2 of 2 verb

1

: bloom entry 2 sense 1

2

: to grow and do well

students who blossom in college