flower

Etymology 1

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 flour. Partly displaced native Old English blostma, whence Modern English blossom.

noun

1. A colorful, conspicuous structure associated with angiosperms, frequently scented and attracting various insects, and which may or may not be used for sexual reproduction.
2. (botany) 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. 1894, H. G. Wells, The Flowering of the Strange Orchid
3. A plant that bears flowers, especially a plant that is small and lacks wood.
   We transplanted the flowers to a larger pot.
4. A cut flower; 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. (uncountable, usually with in) Of plants, a state of bearing blooms.
   The dogwoods are in flower this week.
6. (euphemistic, hypocoristic) The vulva, especially the labia majora.
7. The best examples or representatives of a group.
   the flower of the chivalry of all Spain 1808, Robert Southey, Chronicle of the Cid, from the Spanish
   In times of peace, so clean and bright, / And with a new-washed morning face, / He walked Pall Mall, a goodly sight, / The finished flower of all the race. 1915, Katharine Tynan, The Golden Boy
8. The best state of things; the prime.
   She was in the flower of her life.
   NO lady fair in hall or bower, / In days when knighthood was in flower, / Or high-born dame with jewels set, / Or Tudor or Plantagenet, / E’er wore enwreath’d on form and face / Thy royal robe of richest grace. 1899, James [Mackintosh] Kennedy, “To Queen Alexandra”, in The Scottish and American Poems of James Kennedy, J[ohn] S[tuart] Ogilvie Publishing Company,[…], page 197
9. (obsolete) Flour.
10. (in the plural, chemistry, obsolete) A substance in the form of a powder, especially when condensed from sublimation.
    the flowers of sulphur
11. A figure of speech; an ornament of style.
12. (printing) Ornamental type used chiefly for borders around pages, cards, etc.
    I pointed out to the late Mr. Catherwood, of the firm of Caslon and Catherwood, the inconvenience of both these modes of cutting flowers, 1841, William Savage, A Dictionary of the Art of Printing
13. (in the plural, obsolete) Menstrual discharges.
14. A delicate, fragile, or oversensitive person.
    […] she whispered leaning over and kissing her forehead; and then added, 'Mummy loves you, precious flower.' 2015, Sally Chiwuzie, Silent Symphonies
    Take care of yourself out there, Brown, you delicate flower. 2016, Barbara Ann Wright, Paladins of the Storm Lord
    Come on, you delicate flower, we just need to nap. It will be fine. 2021, Alica McKenna-Johnson, The Unicorn's Scion
15. Credit, recognition. (To give someone his flowers.)

verb

1. (intransitive) To put forth blooms.
   This plant flowers in June.
2. (transitive) To decorate with pictures of flowers.
3. (intransitive) To reach a state of full development or achievement.
   It only needed watering to take root, to flower and to fructify, and the watering came in due course. 1940 Mahadev Desai, translator, Mahatma Gandhi, An Autobiography, Part III (IX) The Story of My Experiments with Truth/Part III/Simple Life, original published 1927-1929
   In life after life of this now-expanded circle of women artists, writers and revolutionaries, the same appeared: a flowing of creative insight and vision seemed the follow a sexual flowering. 2012, Naomi Wolf, Vagina: A New Biography, page 43
4. (archaic, intransitive) To froth; to ferment gently, as new beer.
5. (intransitive) To come off as flowers by sublimation.

Etymology 2

# table flow + -er

noun

1. (rare) Something that flows, such as a river.
   Leaving the weavers’ village behind you, and crossing the sandy bed of the Vengavati or ‘Swift-flower,’ which, however, contained not a drop of water, you reach the ancient Jain temple. 1886–1890, J. D. Rees, Narratives of Tours in India, page 340
   Rhŏdănus, i, m. The Rhodanus (now Rhone); a river of Gaul [prob. a northern word, meaning “Swift-flower or Swift-passer”]. 1888, John T. White, The Seventh Book of Cæsar’s Gallic War with a Vocabulary, page 224
   sará-yu, f. [swift flower: √sri] N. of a river (in Oudh), in C. gnly. û. 1893, Arthur A. MacDonnell, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, page 340
   one that flows with force and speed; the fast flower 1959, Scottish Studies, volumes 3-4, page 92
   Bonnie partner with Scottish flower (5) [as a clue for CLYDE] 24 August 2019, Radio Times Crossword