: the specialized part of an angiospermous plant that occurs singly or in clusters, possesses whorls of often colorful petals or sepals, and bears the reproductive structures (such as stamens or pistils) involved in the development of seeds and fruit : blossom
b
: a cluster of small flowers growing closely together that resembles and is often viewed as a single flower : inflorescence
Noun
We planted flowers in the garden.
He sent her a bouquet of flowers.
He wore a single flower in his lapel. Verb
This tree flowers in early spring.
The plant will flower every other year.
His genius flowered at the university.
a political movement that began to flower during the 1960s
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Noun
For dinner, guests selected from four menu items before enjoying wedding cake adorned with cascading flowers.—Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 26 May 2025 And now, four years later, their fruitful plot spills over with all kinds of produce and flowers, including blackberries, cosmos, green beans, eggplants, and a handful of apple trees, among other things.—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 25 May 2025
Verb
Spanish arthouse has flowered again in Spain, especially from a new generation of filmmakers.—John Hopewell, Variety, 14 May 2025 Whether depicting bustling city scenes, quiet temples, or flowering birds, Hiroshige’s prints spoke to a broad audience—creating accessible art that crossed class boundaries and elevated everyday life.—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for flower
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English flour, flur "blossom of a plant, prime of life, best of a class, ground grain free of bran," borrowed from Anglo-French flour, flur (also continental Old French), going back to Latin flōr-, flōs "flower, bloom, flourishing condition, choicest part, best of a class," going back to Indo-European *bhleh3-os, s-stem derivative from the verbal base *bhleh3- "bloom, break into flower" — more at blow entry 3
Verb
Middle English flouren "(of a plant) to blossom, to bloom, be vigourous," derivative of flour, flurflour entry 1
: a specialized plant part that occurs singly or in clusters, possesses often colorful petals or sepals, and bears reproductive organs involved in the development of seeds and fruit : blossom
b
: a cluster of small flowers growing closely together that resembles and is often viewed as a single flower : inflorescence
Middle English flour "flower, best part," from early French flor, flour (same meaning), from Latin flor-, flos "flower, blossom" — related to florid, flour, flourish
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