flower
The reproductive structure of a flowering plant, typically having colorful petals.
Etymology
From Middle English flour, from Old French flour/flor, from Latin flōrem (accusative of flōs). This traces to PIE *bʰleh₃- meaning "to bloom, flourish." English borrowed this from French, replacing the native Old English blōstm "blossom" as the primary term.
The Journey: *bʰleh₃- → flower
*bʰleh₃-
flōs, flōrem
flour/flor
flour
flower
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root *bʰleh₃-. They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Greek | (none direct) |
| Latin | flōs |
| Gothic | (none) |
| Old Irish | bláth |
| Old English | blōwan (to bloom) |
| Old High German | bluoen |
Did You Know?
The words "flower" and "flour" were the same word until the 18th century — flour was "the flower (finest part) of the grain." English "bloom" and "blossom" are native Germanic cognates from the same PIE root.
This word descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰleh₃-. See the full root page for descendant trees, sound law references, and scholarly discussion.