flower /flowˈər or flowr/

1. The reproductive organs of a seed plant
2. The blossom of a plant, or the state of being in blossom
3. Any plant that produces blossoms, esp one grown for its blossom
4. The prime of life
5. The best of anything
6. The person or thing most distinguished
7. The embodiment of perfection
8. A figure of speech
9. Ornament of style
10. A term of endearment
11. (in pl) menstrual discharge (obsolete)
12. (in pl) a sublimate (eg flowers of sulphur; chem)
13. (often in pl) a fungal growth

1. To blossom
2. To flourish
3. To reach a peak

To adorn with flowers or a floral design

flowerˈage noun (rare)

1. Flowers collectively
2. The flowering state of a plant

flowerˈed adjective

1. Decorated with flower designs
2. Decorated with fleurs-de-lis (heraldry)

flowerˈer noun

1. A plant that flowers
2. An embroiderer of floral designs

flowerˈet noun

1. A little flower
2. A floret (see under flora)

flowerˈiness noun

flowerˈing noun and adjective

flowerˈless adjective

flowerˈy adjective

1. Full of or adorned with flowers
2. Highly embellished or florid

flowerˈ-bed noun

A garden bed for flowers

flowerˈ-bell noun

A blossom shaped like a bell

flowerˈ-bud noun

A bud with the unopened flower

flower child noun

One of the Flower People

flowerˈ-clock noun

A collection of flowers so arranged that the time of day is indicated by their times of opening and closing

flower-de-leuce, flower-deluce, flower deluce /-di-loosˈ/, flower-delice, flower delice /-di-lēsˈ, -līsˈ or -delˈis/ noun

Old names for the iris, or for the fleur-de-lis

flower essence noun

One of a number of essences extracted from flower petals, used therapeutically in situations of mental or physical disharmony

flowerˈ-garden noun

flower girl noun

1. A girl or woman who sells flowers in the street
2. A young girl carrying flowers in a bride's retinue at a wedding

flowerˈ-head noun

A close inflorescence in which all the florets grow together at the tip of the stem, rather than on separated stalks

flowering rush noun

A monocotyledonous plant (genus Butomus), with large linear three-edged leaves and an umbel of rose-coloured flowers

flower of Jove noun

A campion with heads of purple or scarlet flowers, and leaves with silky-white hairs

flowerˈpecker noun

Any of various small birds found from India to Australia which feed on nectar and berries

Flower People noun

(also without caps) colourfully dressed adherents of a movement (Flower Power; also without caps) arising in the mid-1960s which rejected materialism and advocated peace and universal love

• merling
• merlings
• merlins
• merlon
• merlons
• Merlot
• merls
• mermaid
• mermaiden
• mermaids
• mermaid's glove
• mermaid's purse
• merman
• mermen
• meroblastic
• meroblastically
• merogeneses
• merogenesis
• merogenetic
• merogonies
• merogony
• meroistic
• merome
• meromes
• meronym