flora
UK[ˈflɔːrə]US[ˈflɔːrə]
n
the plants of a particular region, habitat, or geological period
n
a treatise on or list of the plants of an area or period
Morpheme Breakdown
flor
a
flor
flower
a
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'flora' is a direct borrowing from latin, where it was the name of the roman goddess of flowers and spring. the term was first used scientifically in the 17th century by botanists to personify the collective plant life of a region, much as 'fauna' was used for animal life. it derives from the latin root 'flōr-', meaning 'flower', which itself can be traced back to the proto-indo-european root bʰleh₃-, meaning 'to thrive, bloom'. thus, the modern abstract meaning of the collective vegetation of an area evolved from the name of a deity associated with blossoming plants.
Analysis
Structure: flor (flower) + a (noun suffix)
flor originates from Latin 'flōs, flōr-', meaning 'flower'. the suffix -a is a Latin feminine singular ending used to form abstract nouns.
Examples
the island's flora includes several species found nowhere else in the world.
the botanist published a comprehensive flora of the alpine region.
climate change poses a significant threat to the native flora of many ecosystems.