- the coloured part of a plant from which the seed or fruit develops. Flowers usually grow at the end of a stem and last only a short time.
- The plant has a beautiful bright red flower.
- in flower The roses are in flower early this year.
- The crocuses are late coming into flower.
- a flower bud/petal
Homophones flour | flowerflour flower/ˈflaʊə(r)//ˈflaʊər/- flour noun
- The cake is made with equal parts of flour and sugar.
- flower noun
- The butterflies flit from flower to flower.
- flower verb
- Daffodils flower in early spring.
Collocations The living worldThe living worldAnimals- animals mate/breed/reproduce/feed (on something)
- fish/amphibians swim/spawn (= lay eggs)
- birds fly/migrate/nest/sing
- insects crawl/fly/bite/sting
- insects/bees/locusts swarm
- bees collect/gather nectar/pollen
- spiders spin/weave a web
- snakes/lizards shed their skins
- bears/hedgehogs/frogs hibernate
- insect larvae grow/develop/pupate
- an egg/a chick/a larva hatches
- attract/find/choose a mate
- produce/release eggs/sperm
- lay/fertilize/incubate/hatch eggs
- inhabit a forest/a reef/the coast
- mark/enter/defend (a) territory
- stalk/hunt/capture/catch/kill prey
- trees/plants grow/bloom/blossom/flower
- a seed germinates/sprouts
- leaves/buds/roots/shoots appear/develop/form
- flower buds swell/open
- a fungus grows/spreads/colonizes something
- pollinate/fertilize a flower/plant
- produce/release/spread/disperse pollen/seeds/spores
- produce/bear fruit
- develop/grow/form roots/shoots/leaves
- provide/supply/absorb/extract/release nutrients
- perform/increase/reduce photosynthesis
- bacteria/microbes/viruses grow/spread/multiply
- bacteria/microbes live/thrive in/on something
- bacteria/microbes/viruses evolve/colonize something/cause disease
- bacteria break something down/convert something (into something)
- a virus enters/invades something/the body
- a virus mutates/evolves/replicates (itself)
- be infected with/contaminated with/exposed to a new strain of a virus/drug-resistant bacteria
- contain/carry/harbour bacteria/a virus
- kill/destroy/eliminate harmful/deadly bacteria
Extra ExamplesTopics Plants and treesa1- It has deep pink scented flowers.
- It was the first year that the cactus had produced flowers.
- The bush was absolutely covered in flowers.
- The flowers are pollinated by insects.
- The flowers were still tightly closed.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- bright
- brightly coloured/colored
- brilliantly coloured/colored
- …
- bouquet
- bunch
- bear
- have
- produce
- …
- appear
- go to seed
- bud
- head
- petal
- …
- in flower
- a bank of flowers
- a carpet of flowers
- a mass of flowers
- …
- a plant grown or valued for the beauty of its flowers
- a garden full of flowers
- The forest floor was a carpet of wild flowers.
- Flowers were blooming everywhere.
- a flower garden/show
Extra Examples- The alleys were adorned with banks of flowers.
- The spring flowers were just coming out.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- bright
- brightly coloured/colored
- brilliantly coloured/colored
- …
- bouquet
- bunch
- bear
- have
- produce
- …
- appear
- go to seed
- bud
- head
- petal
- …
- in flower
- a bank of flowers
- a carpet of flowers
- a mass of flowers
- …
- a flower with its stem that has been picked as a decoration
- I picked some flowers.
- cut/fresh/dried flowers
- a bouquet/bunch of flowers
- a flower arrangement
Extra Examples- He took her flowers and chocolates.
- I ordered flowers online for her birthday.
- I sent him flowers to apologize.
- I'm learning flower arranging.
- They sell a few pot plants, but they mainly sell cut flowers.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- bright
- brightly coloured/colored
- brilliantly coloured/colored
- …
- bouquet
- bunch
- bear
- have
- produce
- …
- appear
- go to seed
- bud
- head
- petal
- …
- in flower
- a bank of flowers
- a carpet of flowers
- a mass of flowers
- …
Word OriginMiddle English flour, from Old French flour, flor, from Latin flos, flor-. The original spelling was no longer in use by the late 17th cent. except in its specialized sense ‘ground grain’ (see flour).
Idioms
See flower in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee flower in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishthe flower of something
- (literary) the finest or best part of something
- They were cut down in the flower of their youth.
Check pronunciation:
flower