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

The scent of orange blossoms perfuming our neighborhoods. —Carolynn Carreño, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026

Lantana is often grown as an annual in flower beds and containers, but some varieties form a huge, shrub-sized mound of orange and yellow blossoms. —Michelle Darrisaw, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026

Verb

The brainchild of horticulturist King Braswell and Chicken Salad Chick founder Stacy Brown, the campus has blossomed into one of the state’s most special dining destinations. —Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026

Wilson has blossomed after severing ties with her father, recently embarking on a modeling career. —Kahina Sekkaï, Vanity Fair, 27 Feb. 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