flora

flo·ra | \ ˈflȯr-ə

How to pronounce flora (audio)

\

plural floras also florae\ ˈflȯr-ˌē

How to pronounce florae (audio)

, -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 The tropical rainforests of Papua New Guinea are known for their immense biodiversity of flora and fauna. — Bridget E. Hamilton, National Geographic, "Amazing animal dads," 16 June 2020 Over the years, Sirgany has found plenty of flora and fauna in car engines. — Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, "Unusual rodent engine problem has suddenly become 'super common'," 9 June 2020 Levi Charles’ table is shaded by an Emory oak and other canyon flora. — Debra Utacia Krol, azcentral, "Who's not getting COVID-19 aid? Native American entrepreneurs who may need it most," 6 June 2020 Get lost in local flora at Kew Gardens, look for deer in Richmond Park, or glide down the Thames on a riverboat toward Westminster. — Macy Sirmans, Travel + Leisure, "London's 10 Best Affordable Hotels, According to Hotels.com," 3 June 2020 And don’t do anything silly that would harm the lilies or other flora, please. — Brent Conklin | Bconklin@al.com, al, "Here’s a week’s worth of Birmingham-area day trips," 31 May 2020 And scattered amid flora are interactive plants of many colors, which explode to create temporary invisibility, floor spikes or health. — Cecilia D'anastasio, Wired, "Amazon's Crucible Magicks Gaming Clichés Into Something Fresh," 27 May 2020 The mission, then as now, was to inspire people to connect with the plant world and understand the importance of nature’s flora in their lives. — Elizabeth Zavala, ExpressNews.com, "On 40th anniversary, San Antonio Botanical Garden reopens after coronavirus shutdown," 3 May 2020 That flora includes a type of yeast that, in turn, causes greasy, yellow scale. — Marci Robin, Allure, "Why You've Started Getting Dandruff, According to the Experts," 27 Apr. 2020

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.

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Learn More about flora

Dictionary Entries near flora

Flora's-paintbrush

flora delle alpi

Statistics for flora

Last Updated

26 Jun 2020

Cite this Entry

“Flora.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flora. Accessed 5 Jul. 2020.

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More Definitions for flora

flora

noun

English Language Learners Definition of flora

biology : all the plants that live in a particular area, time, period, or environment

See the full definition for flora in the English Language Learners Dictionary

flora

flo·ra | \ ˈflȯr-ə

\

Kids Definition of flora

: the plant life typical of a region, period, or special environment

flora

flo·ra | \ ˈflōr-ə, ˈflȯr-

\

plural floras also florae\ ˈflō(ə)r-ˌē

, ˈflȯ(ə)r-

, -ˌī \

Medical Definition of flora

1 : plant life especially : the plants characteristic of a region, period, or special environment fossil flora — compare fauna

2 : the microorganisms (as bacteria or fungi) living in or on the body the beneficial flora of the intestine potentially harmful skin flora

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