flower

The word “flower” means the colorful blooming part of a plant, often used for decoration or given as a gift.

“Flower” is pronounced FLOW-uh (/ˈflaʊ̯.ɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “flower” used in a sentence: “He picked a bunch of wildflowers for her birthday.”

Words with a similar meaning to “flower” include head, pseudanthium, bloom and blossom.

Depending on how it is used, “flower” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “flower” comes from Latin. From Anglo-Norman flur, from Latin florem, related to Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "to bloom." A doublet of "flour," since both trace back to the same idea of the "finest part" of something.

“Flower” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Flower” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the colorful blooming part of a plant, often used for decoration or given as a gift.

They sound the same but mean very different things. A 'flower' is the colorful blooming part of a plant, like a rose or a daisy. 'Flour' is the fine powder ground from wheat or other grains and used to bake bread, cakes, and pastries. They are homophones.

A typical flower has petals, which are often brightly colored to attract insects; sepals, the small leaves protecting the bud; stamens, the male parts that produce pollen; and a pistil or carpel, the female part that receives it. Together these enable the plant to reproduce and form seeds.

Beyond looking attractive, a flower is the plant's reproductive structure. Its color and scent draw bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, which move pollen from one bloom to another. This fertilization allows the plant to produce seeds and fruit, ensuring the next generation of plants.

Common examples include roses, tulips, daisies, sunflowers, lilies, and orchids. Some flowers, such as roses and carnations, are grown mainly for bouquets and decoration, while others, like apple or cherry blossom, appear briefly on trees each spring before turning into fruit.