blossom

1 of 2

noun

blos·​som ˈblä-səm 

1

a

: the flower of a seed plant

apple blossoms

also : the mass of such flowers on a single plant

b

: the state of bearing flowers

2

: a peak period or stage of development

blossomy

ˈblä-sə-mē 

adjective

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

Noun

• bloom
• florescence
• floruit
• flower
• flush
• heyday
• high noon
• prime
• salad days
• springtime

Verb

• bloom
• blow
• burgeon
• bourgeon
• effloresce
• flower
• unfold

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

In the middle row: two more flowery fields, white blossoms on a red ground to the left, red on white to the right—but then the white ground seeps over the boundary into the red zone to its left, an incursion across the painting’s implicit inner order. —Barry Schwabsky, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2024

Their cooking deploys seasonal produce like squash blossoms, artichokes and ramps to lend a Californian edge to an intriguing contemporary take on Indian cuisine. —Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 10 July 2024

Verb

Related Video Joey King and Nicole Kidman Talk Moulin Rouge!, Horton Hears a Who!, and Zac Efron in an Episode of Off the Cuff As their friendship blossomed, the pair decided to post fashion content together on social media around four years ago—first on YouTube, and then on Instagram and TikTok. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 18 July 2024

This aromatic bouquet starts with a burst of juicy bergamot and pear while powdery gardenia blossoms through as the fragrance dries down. —Sarah Han, Allure, 17 July 2024

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

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