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Webster 1913 Edition

Flower

Flow′er

(flou′ẽr)
,
Noun.
[OE.
flour
, OF.
flour
,
flur
,
flor
, F.
fleur
, fr. L.
flos
,
floris
. Cf.
Blossom
,
Effloresce
,
Floret
,
Florid
,
Florin
,
Flour
,
Flourish
.]
1.
In the popular sense, the bloom or blossom of a plant; the showy portion, usually of a different color, shape, and texture from the foliage.
2.
(Bot.)
That part of a plant destined to produce seed, and hence including one or both of the sexual organs; an organ or combination of the organs of reproduction, whether inclosed by a circle of foliar parts or not. A complete flower consists of two essential parts, the stamens and the pistil, and two floral envelopes, the corolla and callyx. In mosses the flowers consist of a few special leaves surrounding or subtending organs called archegonia. See
Blossom
, and
Corolla
.
☞ If we examine a common flower, such for instance as a geranium, we shall find that it consists of: First, an outer envelope or calyx, sometimes tubular, sometimes consisting of separate leaves called sepals; secondly, an inner envelope or corolla, which is generally more or less colored, and which, like the calyx, is sometimes tubular, sometimes composed of separate leaves called petals; thirdly, one or more stamens, consisting of a stalk or filament and a head or anther, in which the pollen is produced; and fourthly, a pistil, which is situated in the center of the flower, and consists generally of three principal parts; one or more compartments at the base, each containing one or more seeds; the stalk or style; and the stigma, which in many familiar instances forms a small head, at the top of the style or ovary, and to which the pollen must find its way in order to fertilize the flower.
Sir J. Lubbock.
3.
The fairest, freshest, and choicest part of anything;
as, the
flower
of an army, or of a family
; the state or time of freshness and bloom;
as, the
flower
of life, that is, youth
.
The choice and
flower
of all things profitable the Psalms do more briefly contain.
Hooker.
The
flower
of the chivalry of all Spain.
Southey.
A simple maiden in her
flower

Is worth a hundred coats of arms.
Tennyson.
4.
Grain pulverized; meal; flour.
[Obs.]
The
flowers
of grains, mixed with water, will make a sort of glue.
Arbuthnot.
5.
pl.
(Old Chem.)
A substance in the form of a powder, especially when condensed from sublimation;
as, the
flowers
of sulphur
.
6.
A figure of speech; an ornament of style.
7.
pl.
(Print.)
Ornamental type used chiefly for borders around pages, cards, etc.
W. Savage.
8.
pl.
Menstrual discharges.
Lev. xv. 24.
Animal flower
(Zool.)
See under
Animal
.
–
Cut flowers
,
flowers cut from the stalk, as for making a bouquet.
–
Flower bed
,
a plat in a garden for the cultivation of flowers.
–
Flower beetle
(Zool.)
,
any beetle which feeds upon flowers, esp. any one of numerous small species of the genus
Meligethes
, family
Nitidulidæ
, some of which are injurious to crops.
–
Flower bird
(Zool.)
,
an Australian bird of the genus
Anthornis
, allied to the honey eaters.
–
Flower bud
,
an unopened flower.
–
Flower clock
,
an assemblage of flowers which open and close at different hours of the day, thus indicating the time.
–
Flower head
(Bot.)
,
a compound flower in which all the florets are sessile on their receptacle, as in the case of the daisy.
–
Flower pecker
(Zool.)
,
one of a family (
Dicæidæ
) of small Indian and Australian birds. They resemble humming birds in habits.
–
Flower piece
.
(a)
A table ornament made of cut flowers.
(b)
(Fine Arts)
A picture of flowers.
–
Flower stalk
(Bot.)
,
the peduncle of a plant, or the stem that supports the flower or fructification.

Flow′er

(flou′ẽr)
,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Flowered
(flou′ẽrd)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Flowering
.]
[From the noun. Cf.
Flourish
.]
1.
To blossom; to bloom; to expand the petals, as a plant; to produce flowers;
as, this plant
flowers
in June
.
2.
To come into the finest or fairest condition.
Their lusty and
flowering
age.
Robynson (More’s Utopia).
When
flowered
my youthful spring.
Spenser.
3.
To froth; to ferment gently, as new beer.
That beer did
flower
a little.
Bacon.
4.
To come off as flowers by sublimation.
[Obs.]
Observations which have
flowered
off.
Milton.

Flow′er

,
Verb.
T.
To embellish with flowers; to adorn with imitated flowers;
as,
flowered
silk
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Flower

FLOW'ER

,
Noun.
[L. flos, floris, a flower; floreo, to blossom. See Flourish.]
1.
In botany, that part of a plant which contains the organs of fructification, with their coverings. A flower, when complete, consists of a calyx, corol, stamen and pistil; but the essential parts are the anther and stigma, which are sufficient to constitute a flower, either together in hermaphrodite flowers, or separate in male and female flowers.
2.
In vulgar acceptation, a blossom or flower is the flower bud of a plant, when the petals are expanded; open petals being considered as the principal thing in constituting a flower. But in botany, the petals are now considered as a finer sort of covering, and not at all necessary to constitute a flower.
3.
The early part of life, or rather of manhood; the prime; youthful vigor; youth; as the flower of age or of life.
4.
The best or finest part of a thing; the most valuable part. The most active and vigorous part of an army are called the flower of the troops. Young, vigorous and brave men are called the flower of a nation.
5.
The finest part; the essence.
The choice and flower of all things profitable the Psalms do more briefly contain.
6.
He or that which is most distinguished for any thing valuable. We say, the youth are the flower of the country.
7.
The finest part of grain pulverized. In this sense, it is now always written flour, which see.
1.
Flowers, in chimistry, fine particles of bodies, especially when raised by fire in sublimation, and adhering to the heads of vessels in the form of a powder or mealy substance; as the flowers of sulphur.
A substance, somewhat similar, formed spontaneously, is called efforescence.
2.
In rhetoric, figures and ornaments of discourse or composition.
3.
Menstrual discharges.

FLOW'ER

,
Verb.
I.
[from the noun. The corresponding word in L. is floreo.]
1.
To blossom; to bloom; to expand the petals, as a plant. In New England peach trees usually flower in April, and apple trees in May.
2.
To be in the prime and spring of life; to flourish; to be youthful, fresh and vigorous.
When flowered my youthful spring.
3.
To froth; to ferment gently; to mantle, as new beer.
The beer did flower a little.
4.
To come as cream from the surface.

FLOW'ER

,
Verb.
T.
To embellish with figures of flowers; to adorn with imitated flowers.

Definition 2024

flower

flower

English

Pink cactus flowers in bloom.
Picture dictionary
flowerflower
About this image
plant
About this image

plant

Legend:
1= style 2= ovary 3= receptaculum
4= stamen 5= petal 6= stigma
7= pistil 8= sepal 9= pedicel

Some flowers:

daffodil
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daffodil

dahlia
About this image

dahlia

lily
About this image

lily

oleander
About this image

oleander

rose
About this image

rose

tulip
About this image

tulip

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈflaʊ.ə/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈflaʊ.ɚ/
  • Rhymes: -aʊ.ə(r), -aʊə(r)
  • Homophone: flour (for people who pronounce flower as one syllable, or flour as two)

Noun

flower ‎(plural flowers)

  1. A colorful, conspicuous structure associated with angiosperms, frequently scented and attracting various insects, and which may or may not be used for sexual reproduction.
    • 1597, De Campo, Don Richardo de Medico The Trimming of Thomas Nashe Gentleman
      How frail a flower thou doſt ſo highly a prize:/Beauty's the flower, but love the flower-pot/That muſt preſerve it, els it quickly dyes.
  2. (botany) A reproductive structure in angiosperms (flowering plants), often conspicuously colourful and typically including sepals, petals, and either or both stamens and/or a pistil.
    • 1894, H. G. Wells, The Flowering of the Strange Orchid
      You know, Darwin studied their fertilisation, and showed that the whole structure of an ordinary orchid flower was contrived in order that moths might carry the pollen from plant to plant.
  3. A plant that bears flowers, especially a plant that is small and lacks wood.
    We transplanted the flowers to a larger pot.
  4. (usually with in) Of plants, a state of bearing blooms.
    The dogwoods are in flower this week.
  5. (euphemistic, hypocoristic) The ****, especially the labia majora.
  2. (idiomatic) The best examples or representatives of a group.
    We selected the flower of the applicants.
    • Hooker
      The choice and flower of all things profitable the Psalms do more briefly contain.
    • Southey
      the flower of the chivalry of all Spain
  3. The best state of things; the prime.
    She was in the flower of her life.
    • Tennyson
      A simple maiden in her flower / Is worth a hundred coats of arms.
  4. (obsolete) Flour.
    • Arbuthnot
      The flowers of grains, mixed with water, will make a sort of glue.
  5. (in the plural, chemistry, obsolete) A substance in the form of a powder, especially when condensed from sublimation.
    the flowers of sulphur
  6. A figure of speech; an ornament of style.
  7. (printing) Ornamental type used chiefly for borders around pages, cards, etc.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of W. Savage to this entry?)
  8. (in the plural) Menstrual discharges.
    • Bible, Leviticus xv. 24 (American King James Version)
      And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed where on he lies shall be unclean.
Quotations

For usage examples of this term, see Citations:flower.

Usage notes

In its most common sense as "a colorful conspicuous structure", the word flower includes many structures which are not anatomically flowers in the botanical sense. Sunflowers and daisies, for example, are structurally clusters of many small flowers that together appear to be a single flower (a capitulum, a form of pseudanthium), but these are considered to be flowers in the general sense. Likewise, the botanical definition of flower includes many structures that would not be considered a flower by the average person, such as the catkins of a willow tree or the downy flowers found atop a cattail stalk.

Synonyms
Translations

Verb

flower ‎(third-person singular simple present flowers, present participle flowering, simple past and past participle flowered)

  1. (intransitive) To put forth blooms.
    This plant flowers in June.
  2. (intransitive) To reach a state of full development or achievement.
  3. (intransitive) To froth; to ferment gently, as new beer.
    • Francis Bacon
      That beer did flower a little.
  4. (intransitive) To come off as flowers by sublimation.
    • Milton
      observations which have flowered off
Synonyms
Translations

Related terms

Derived terms

See also

  • Appendix:Flowers
  • Category:Flowers

Etymology 2

flow +‎ -er

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈfləʊə/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈfloʊɚ/

Noun

flower ‎(plural flowers)

  1. (rare) Something that flows, such as a river.
    • 1886–1890, J. D. Rees, Narratives of Tours in India, page 340:
      Leaving the weavers’ village behind you, and crossing the sandy bed of the Vengavati or ‘Swift-flower,’ which, however, contained not a drop of water, you reach the ancient Jain temple.
    • 1888, John T. White, The Seventh Book of Cæsar’s Gallic War with a Vocabulary, page 224:
      Rhŏdănus, i, m. The Rhodanus (now Rhone); a river of Gaul [prob. a northern word, meaning “Swift-flower or Swift-passer”].
    • 1893, Arthur A. MacDonnell, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, page 340:
      sará-yu, f. [swift flower: √sri] N. of a river (in Oudh), in C. gnly. û.
    • 1959, Scottish Studies, volumes 3–4, page 92:
      one that flows with force and speed; the fast flower

Usage notes

Alternative forms

  • flow-er

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle English flour, a borrowing from Anglo-Norman flur, from Latin flōrem, accusative of flōs, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃- ‎(“to thrive, bloom”). Partially displaced Middle English blosme, blossem ‎(“flower, blossom”) (more at blossom).

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