flower
UK[ˈflaʊə(r)]US[ˈflaʊər]
n
The part of a plant from which fruit or seed develops, often having brightly colored petals.
n
A plant cultivated for its blossoms.
v
To produce flowers; to bloom.
v
To develop fully; to reach a peak condition.
Etymology
The word 'flower' entered Middle English from the Anglo-Norman French 'flur' or 'flour', a direct descendant of the Latin noun 'flōs' (genitive 'flōris'), meaning "blossom, flower." The Latin term is traced back to the Proto-Italic 'flōs', which is believed to originate from the Proto-Indo-European root 'bʰleh₃-', meaning "to bloom, to flourish." This ancient root connects the concept of a flower to vitality and blossoming. Over time, the word's meaning expanded metaphorically from the botanical structure to signify the finest part or prime of something, as seen in the phrase "the flower of one's youth."
Analysis
The word 'flower' is a simplex word derived from the Anglo-Norman French 'flur' or 'flour', which itself came from the Latin 'flōs, flōr-'. It is not productively segmentable into distinct morphemes in modern English.
Examples
The garden was filled with the scent of wild flowers.
These plants will flower in late spring.
Her talent as a painter truly began to flower after she moved to Paris.