flower English · revision 5306

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1200|origins=ine-pro *bhel-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /flaʊə/, /ˈflaʊ.ə/, US /ˈflaʊ.ɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|flour|alt=flur, flour]], [[bor|xno|flur]], Old French flor, flour,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|flōs|t=flower]], genitive flōris,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[ine-pro|*bhel-|t=to thrive, bloom]], the source also of [[bloom]] and [[blossom]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(Barnhart 1988) It is the same word as [[flour]].^(Cresswell 2021)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The blossom of a plant, or a flowering plant: about 1200 in Etymonline, before 1200 in the Ancrene Riwle according to Barnhart, before 1225 in the OED.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the sense of a blossom it ousted its Old English cognate blōstm, the source of blossom.^(Etymonline) The best or most excellent of anything is from the early 13th century,^(Etymonline) which led to the best part of ground wheat, which became [[flour]].^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) The spelling flour was limited to ground grain by the late 17th century,^(NODE 1998)^(Cresswell 2021) though Barnhart says the spellings were not fully kept apart until the 1830s.^(Barnhart 1988) In Middle English the word was also a symbol of transitoriness, a beautiful woman (about 1300) and virginity.^(Etymonline) The verb, to prosper, is from about 1200, and of a plant, to blossom, from about 1300.^(Etymonline) ''Flower child'', a gentle hippie, is from 1967.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – a blossom.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * early 13th century – the best of anything.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1300 – verb, to blossom.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1369 – ''flowery''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1967 – ''flower child''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[blossom]] of a plant, often brightly coloured, that produces seeds.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A plant grown for its blossoms.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(botany)'' The reproductive structure of a flowering plant, with [[stamen|alt=stamens]] and [[pistil|alt=pistils]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The best or finest part of something: ''the flower of the nation's youth''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The time of greatest vigour; [[prime]].^(AHD)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To produce flowers; to bloom.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To develop fully; to [[flourish]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[flowerer]]

+ * [[flowerless]]

+ * [[flowered]]

+ * [[flowerful]]

+ * [[flowerlike]]

+ * [[flowerpot]]

+ * [[flowery]]

+ * [[passionflower]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fleur]]

+ * [[flora]]

+ * [[floret]]

+ * [[florid]]

+ * [[florist]]

+ * [[floristics]]

+ * [[inflorescence]]

+ * [[flour]]

+ * [[bloom]]

+ * [[blossom]]

+ * [[flourish]]

+ * [[floral]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}