Definition of 'flower'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present
tense flowers
, present participle flowering
, past tense, past participle flowered
1. countable noun
A flower is the part of a plant which is often brightly coloured, grows at the end of a stem,
and only
survives for a short time.
2. countable noun [usually plural]
3. countable noun [usually plural]
Flowers are small plants that are grown for their flowers as opposed to trees, shrubs, and
vegetables.
4. verb
5. verb
When something flowers, for example a political movement or a
relationship, it
gets stronger and more
successful.
6. singular noun [the NOUN of noun]
7.
See
in flower
8. See also
flowered
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Image of
flower
© Le Do, shutterstock
Video: pronunciation of
flower
Word Frequency
flower in British English
noun
2.
the
reproductive structure of
angiosperm plants, consisting
normally of
stamens and
carpels surrounded by
petals and
sepals all borne on the
receptacle (one or more of these structures may be
absent). In some plants it is
conspicuous and brightly
coloured and
attracts insects or other animals for pollination
▶ Related adjective: floral ▶ Related prefix: antho- 3.
any similar reproductive structure in other plants
6.
a
decoration or embellishment
verb
10. (intransitive)
to produce flowers; bloom
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
flower-like (ˈflower-ˌlike) adjective
Word origin
C13: from Old French flor, from Latin flōs; see blow3Word Frequency
flower in American English
noun
1.
a.
b.
a blossom; bloom
c.
the reproductive structure of any plant
2.
a plant
cultivated for its blossoms; flowering plant
3.
the best or finest part or example
the flower of a country's youth
4.
the best period of a person or thing; time of
flourishing
5.
something
decorative; esp., a
figure of speech
verb intransitive
7.
to produce blossoms; bloom
verb transitive
9.
to decorate with flowers or floral
patterns
Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
flowerless (ˈflowerless)
adjective
flowerlike (ˈflowerˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
ME flowre, flour, OFr flor, flour (Fr fleur) < L flos (gen. floris), a flower: see
bloom1Word Frequency
flower in American English
(ˈflauər)
noun
1.
the blossom of a plant
2. Botany
a.
the part of a seed plant
comprising the reproductive organs and their
envelopes if any, esp. when such envelopes are more or less conspicuous in form and color
4.
state of efflorescence or bloom
Peonies were in flower
5.
an ornament representing a flower
6. Also called: fleuron, floret Printing
7.
an ornament or adornment
8.
the finest or most flourishing period
Poetic drama was in flower in Elizabethan England
10.
the finest or choicest product or example
11. See
flowers
intransitive verb
12.
to produce flowers; blossom;
come to full bloom
13.
to come out into full development;
mature
transitive verb
14.
to cover or deck with flowers
15.
to decorate with a floral design
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1150–1200; ME flour flower, best of anything ‹ OF flor, flour, flur ‹ L flōr- (s. of flōs). Cf. blossom]Examples of 'flower' in a sentence
flower
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.
Read more…
Quotations
'
Tis the
last
rose of summer
Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone'Tis the last rose of Summer
Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone'Tis the last rose of Summer
There is no `Why' about the rose, it blossoms because it blossoms
It pays no heed to itself, and does not care whether it is seen
It pays no heed to itself, and does not care whether it is seen
The flower is the
poetry of
reproduction. It is an example of the
eternal seductiveness of lifeThe Enchanted
O my love's like a red, red roseA Red, Red Rose
Word lists with
flower
affection,
terms used in botanyQuick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
Which term used in botany am I?
any of the hollow hairlike outgrowths of the outer cells of a root, just behind the tip, that absorb water and salts from the soil
Which term used in botany am I?
a dry one-seeded indehiscent fruit that usually possesses a woody wall
Which term used in botany am I?
the male reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of a stalk (filament) bearing an anther in which pollen is produced
Which term used in botany am I?
the transfer of pollen from the anthers of one flower to the stigma of another flower by the action of wind, insects, etc
Which term used in botany am I?
any of various small edible fruits such as the blackberry and strawberry
Your score:
Trends of
flower
View usage for:
In other languages
flower
British English: flower
/ˈflaʊə/ NOUN
A flower is the brightly coloured part of a plant which grows at the end of a stem.
...a bunch of flowers.
- American English: flower
- Arabic: زَهْرَة
- Brazilian Portuguese: flor
- Chinese: 花
- Croatian: cvijet
- Czech: květina
- Danish: blomst
- Dutch: bloem plant
- European Spanish: flor
- Finnish: kukka
- French: fleur
- German: Blume
- Greek: λουλούδι
- Italian: fiore
- Japanese: 花
- Korean: 꽃
- Norwegian: blomst
- Polish: kwiat
- European Portuguese: flor
- Romanian: floare
- Russian: цветок
- Latin American Spanish: flor
- Swedish: blomma
- Thai: ดอกไม้
- Turkish: çiçek
- Ukrainian: квітка
- Vietnamese: hoa
British English: flower
/ˈflaʊə/ VERB
When a plant or tree flowers, its flowers appear and open.
Several of these rhododendrons will flower this year for the first time.
- American English: flower
- Arabic: يُزْهِرُ
- Brazilian Portuguese: florescer
- Chinese: 开花
- Croatian: cvjetati
- Czech: kvést
- Danish: blomstre
- Dutch: bloeien
- European Spanish: florecer
- Finnish: kukkia
- French: fleurir
- German: blühen
- Greek: ανθίζω
- Italian: fiorire
- Japanese: 花が咲く
- Korean: 꽃이 피다
- Norwegian: blomstre
- Polish: zakwitnąć
- European Portuguese: florescer
- Romanian: a înflori
- Russian: цвести
- Latin American Spanish: florecer
- Swedish: blomma
- Thai: ผลิดอก
- Turkish: çiçek açmak
- Ukrainian: квітнути
- Vietnamese: ra hoa
Nearby words of
flower
Related terms of
flower
Source
Definition of flower from the
Collins English Dictionary
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I saw a man shouting at a driver car was blocking the street.
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Once we've that we will start again.
loot or lute?
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allowed or aloud?
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role
roll
Both sides have a to play.
broach or brooch?
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brooch
broach
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borne
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pore
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