burgeon

verb

bur·​geon ˈbər-jən 

variants or less commonly bourgeon

burgeoned also bourgeoned; burgeoning also bourgeoning; burgeons also bourgeons

intransitive verb

1

a

: to send forth new growth (such as buds or branches) : sprout

b

: bloom

when the flame trees and jacaranda are burgeoning

—Alan Carmichael

2

: to grow and expand rapidly : flourish

The market for her work has burgeoned in recent years.

tiny events which burgeon into national alarums

—Herman Wouk

Did you know?

Burgeon arrived in Middle English as burjonen, a borrowing from the Anglo-French verb burjuner, meaning "to bud or sprout." Burgeon is often used figuratively, as when writer Ta-Nehisi Coates used it in his 2008 memoir The Beautiful Struggle: "… I was in the burgeoning class of kids whose families made too much for financial aid but not enough to make tuition payments anything less than a war." Usage commentators have objected to the use of burgeon to mean "to flourish" or "to grow rapidly," insisting that any figurative use should stay true to the word's earliest literal meaning and distinguish budding or sprouting from subsequent growing. But the sense of burgeon that indicates growing or expanding and prospering (as in "the burgeoning music scene" or "the burgeoning international market") has been in established use for decades and is, in fact, the most common use of burgeon today.

Synonyms

• accelerate
• accumulate
• appreciate
• balloon
• boom
• build up
• climb
• enlarge
• escalate
• expand
• gain
• increase
• mount
• multiply
• mushroom
• proliferate
• rise
• roll up
• snowball
• spread
• swell
• wax

Examples of burgeon in a Sentence

The market for collectibles has burgeoned in recent years.

the trout population in the stream is burgeoning now that the water is clean

Recent Examples on the Web

Two Shawnee brothers set up the headquarters for a burgeoning anti-American movement in the unconquered territory along the Wabash River. —Boyce Upholt, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 June 2024

Unfortunately, because things are never easy for the Doctor, this burgeoning relationship is interrupted by a family of murderers and a heart-wrenching dilemma. —Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 7 June 2024

Inspired by the burgeoning post-punk and new-wave movements emanating from the U.S., as well as the rich tapestry of traditional Mexican music, the two developed a musical fusion that would define their sound, and in Mexico City circa 1987, Caifanes was born. —Holly Alvarado, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2024

To kick off their celebration, and to draw attention to the country’s burgeoning wine scene, Zander and Stephanie hosted a party at Petrič Winery, which included a tour of the vineyard and food traditional to the surrounding Karst region. —Kaitlin Menza, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English burjonen, from Anglo-French burjuner, from burjun bud, from Vulgar Latin *burrion-, burrio, from Late Latin burra fluff, shaggy cloth

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

burgeon

verb

bur·​geon ˈbər-jən 

1

a

: to put forth new growth (as buds)

b

: bloom entry 2 sense 1

2

: expand sense 3, flourish