flora

noun

flo·ra | \ ˈflȯr-ə

plural floras also florae\ ˈflȯr-ˌē

, -ˌī \

Definition of flora

1 : a treatise on or list of the plants of an area or period

2 : plant, bacterial, or fungal life especially : such life characteristic of a region, period, or special environment fossil flora intestinal flora — compare fauna

Other Words from flora Synonyms Flora Has Roots in Roman Mythology Example Sentences Learn More about flora

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Flora Has Roots in Roman Mythology

Flora means "flower" in Latin, and Flora was the Roman goddess of spring and flowering plants, especially wildflowers and plants not raised for food. She was shown as a beautiful young woman in a long, flowing dress with flowers in her hair, strewing flowers over the earth. English preserves her name in such words as floral, floret, and flourish. A region's flora may range from tiny violets to towering trees. The common phrase "flora and fauna" covers just about every visible living thing.

Examples of flora in a Sentence

an amazing variety of coastal flora the floras of different coastal regions

Recent Examples on the Web

Sculpture Milwaukee hit a grand slam by commissioning Chicago artist Carlos Rolón to turn the lobby cube of the Chase Bank building into a box wrapped with tropical flora. — Jim Higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "6 works from Sculpture Milwaukee 2019 that the city should keep here permanently," 13 June 2019 Walk the trails at the top amid endemic flora and take in extraordinary views of Cape Town. — National Geographic, "Africa by Private Jet," 12 June 2019 There are some curious and lovely native wildflowers for such a place, though rock gardeners have been drawn to grow difficult far-off alpine plants or desert flora. — Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, "This unusual garden style could be a sustainable solution for urban landscapes," 5 June 2019 This usually involves returning the sand that cannot be sold along with the clay, shale and topsoil that had to be removed to get to the sand, and then planting grasses and other native flora. — Geoffrey Giller, Discover Magazine, "The Midwestern Sand Mines Feeding the Fracking Industry," 26 Apr. 2019 To start, Huh took to her sketchbook, developing several concepts that incorporated the local flora in graphic ways. — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, "Watch an Incredible, 25-Foot Mosaic Mural Come to Life," 19 Apr. 2019 The landscape varies between jungle-like canopies of trees, unusual flora and fauna, and architecturally magnificent walkways. — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, "20 Best Things To Do In Singapore," 2 Mar. 2018 In features work that combines an exuberant tropical flora with installations composed of intricate iron fences and fragmented mirrors that offer opportunities for self-reflection and community engagement. — Ana Gershanik, NOLA.com, "NOMA presents Afuera/Adentro," 28 Oct. 2017 The other side of the road is the mountain with cape flora and fauna in abundance. — Meredith Carey, Condé Nast Traveler, "South Africa's Top Sommelier on Where to Find the Best Wine," 12 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'flora.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.