flower

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A colorful, conspicuous structure associated with angiosperms, frequently scented and attracting various insects, and which may or may not be used for sexual reproduction.

   O Laurinella! little doſt thou wot / How fraile a flower thou doſt ſo highly prize: / Beauty's the flower, but love the flower-pot / That muſt preſerve it, els it quickly dyes.

2. 2
   noun

   A reproductive structure in angiosperms (flowering plants), often conspicuously colourful and typically including sepals, petals, and either or both stamens and/or a pistil.

   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. 3
   noun

   A plant that bears flowers, especially a plant that is small and lacks wood.

   We transplanted the flowers to a larger pot.

4. 4
   noun

   The stem of a flowering plant with the blossom or blossoms attached, used for decoration, as a gift, etc.

   He always keeps a vase full of flowers in his office.

5. 5
   noun

   Of plants, a state of bearing blooms.

   The dogwoods are in flower this week.

6. 6
   noun

   The vulva, especially the labia majora.

   [F]or ſtill, that my virgin-flower was yet uncrop'd never once enter'd into his head, and he would have thought it idling with time and words to have queſtion'd me upon it.

7. 7
   noun

   The best examples or representatives of a group.

   At Floddon hyllys, / Our bowys, our byllys / Slew all the floure / Of theyr honoure.

8. 8
   noun

   The best state of things; the prime.

   She was in the flower of her life.

Etymology

From Middle English flour, from Anglo-Norman flur, from Latin flōrem, accusative of flōs, from Proto-Italic *flōs, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃- (“to thrive, bloom”). Doublet of fleur, flor, flour, bloom, and blossom. Partly displaced native Old English blostma (which is cognate), whence Modern English blossom.