I. ˈflau̇(ə)r, -au̇ə, esp in the South -au̇wə(r noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English flour flower, best of anything, flour, from Old French flor, flour, flur, from Latin flor-, flos — more at blow (to bloom)
1.
a. : the part of a seed plant that normally bears reproductive organs especially when some or all of its parts are conspicuous or brightly colored : blossom , inflorescence — not used technically
b. : a shoot of the sporophyte of a higher plant modified for reproductive purposes and consisting of a shortened axis bearing one or more series of floral leaves some or all of which are sporophylls ; especially : such a shoot of a seed plant possessing an obvious external protective perianth often differentiated into calyx and corolla, an androecium of one or more stamens, and a gynoecium of one or more carpels
c. : bloom
the tulips were in full flower
2.
a. : the best, fairest, freshest, or choicest part, sample, or example of something
she was the flower of her family
the flower of chivalry
b. : the state or time of fresh vigor or bloom : prime
in the flower of youth and ardor
3. : a very finely divided powder (as one that will pass through a screen of 400 meshes to the inch) ; especially : one produced by condensation or sublimation — usually used in plural; see flowers of sulfur
4. flowers plural , archaic : menstrual discharges
5. : a plant cultivated or esteemed primarily for its blossoms
we have separate flower garden and kitchen garden
6.
a. : an ornamental representation of a flower
a skirt covered with little embroidered flowers
: a floral design or artificial flower; especially : a printer's fleuron
b. : a flowery insertion or interpellation ; usually : a figure of speech or other ornament of literary style
7. : season 6
[s]flower.jpg[/s] [
cross section of flower 1b: 1 filament, 2 anther, 3 stigma, 4 style, 5 petal, 6 ovary, 7 sepal, 8 pedicel, 9 stamen, 10 pistil, 11 perianth
]
II. verb
( flowered ; flowered ; flowering -au̇(ə)riŋ, -au̇wər- ; flowers )
Etymology: Middle English flouren, from flour, n.
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to produce flowers : bloom , blossom
some roses flower throughout the growing season
b. : to arise and develop — often used with out
quarrels that flowered out as the community enlarged
2. : to come into the finest or fairest condition
girls tend to flower early in the tropics
3. obsolete , of an effervescent liquid : to froth or foam — used especially of beer
transitive verb
1. : to cause to bear flowers : grow until the bloom appears
flowering azaleas under glass
a rare tropical orchid that has never been flowered in cultivation
2. : to cover or decorate with floral designs or representations of flowers
frost flowering the window
a gay vestee flowered with silk