flower

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

n. bloom, blossom, posy; elite, elect, best, pick; ornament. See vegetable, goodness.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [A bloom]

Syn. blossom, bud, floret, posy, pompon, efflorescence, spike, spray, cluster, head, panicle, raceme, floweret, shoot, inflorescence, cone, petals.

2. [A plant valued for its bloom]

Syn. flowering plant, wildflower, herb, vine, annual, perennial, biennial, flowering shrub, potted plant, houseplant, bulb.

Common flowers include: daisy, violet, African violet, cowslip, jack-in-the-pulpit, goldenrod, orchid, primrose, bluebell, salvia, geranium, begonia, pansy, calendula, forsythia, daffodil, jonquil, crocus, dahlia, cosmos, zinnia, tulip, iris, lily, petunia, gladiolus, aster, carnation, baby's breath, gardenia, narcissus, rose, peony, nasturtium, cyclamen, chrysanthemum, four-o'clock, sunflower, snapdragon, hibiscus, periwinkle, gaillardia, poppy, morning-glory, lily-of-the-valley, clematis, buttercup, bougainvillea, dandelion, fuchsia, lilac, stock, sweet William, marigold, yarrow, Queen Anne's lace, bachelor's button, bleeding heart, phlox, poinsettia; see also fruit 1 . v.

Syn. open, blossom, blow; see bloom .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) n.

bloom, blossom, ornamental, floweret, floret, bud, annual, perennial, spray, posy, nosegay, bouquet. Heaven's master-piece.''—Dorothy Parker. The sweetest thing God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into.''—Henry Ward Beecher.

WORD FIND

• bloom, blossom: effloresce

• bouquet worn on shoulder: corsage

• descriptive: teardrop petals, ruffles and lace, spikes like kitten tails, irridescent, radiant, creamy, flaming, blazing, dotting fields like fallen confetti, elegant profusion, heady perfumes of Spring

• female organ that becomes fruit: pistil

• grains of male germ cells: pollen

• male organ: stamen

• names: African violet, amaryllis, aster, azalea, baby’s breath, begonia, black-eyed Susan, bleeding heart, bluebell, buttercup, camellia, candytuft, carnation, cat’s paw, Chinese lantern, chrysanthemum, cockscomb, columbine, cornflower, cowslip, daffodil, dahlia, daisy, dandelion, dogwood, forget-me-not, forsythia, foxglove, foxtail, fuchsia, gardenia, gentian, geranium, gladiolus, goldenrod, heather, hibiscus, hollyhock, honeysuckle, hyacinth, impatiens, Indian paintbrush, iris, jack-in-the-pulpit, jonquil, lady’s slipper, larkspur, lilac, lily, lily of the valley, lotus, lupine, magnolia, mallow, marigold, mayflower, mimosa, morning glory, narcissus, oleander, orchid, pansy, peony, petunia, phlox, poinsetta, poppy, primrose, Queen Anne’s lace, rhododendron, rose, snapdragon, sunflower, sweet alyssum, sweet William, tulip, Venus flytrap, viola, violet, water lily, wolfbane, yucca, zinnia

• native flowers of a region: flora

• petals, collective term: corolla

• science of growing: horticulture

• sepals, or protective leaves of a flower: calyx

• spike, dense: spadix, spike

• spot of different color in center of some types: eye

• sun, follows the: heliotropic, phototropic

see field

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I noun 1. The showy reproductive structure of a plant: bloom1, blossom, floret. See BETTER. 2. A condition or time of vigor and freshness: bloom1, blossom, efflorescence, florescence, flush, prime. See BETTER. 3. The superlative or most preferable part of something: best, choice, cream, creme de la creme, elite, pick, prize1, top. Idioms: cream of the crop, flower of the flock, pick of the bunch (or crop). See BETTER. 4. People of the highest social level: aristocracy, blue blood, creme de la creme, elite, gentility, gentry, nobility, patriciate, quality, society, upper class, who's who. Informal: upper crust. See OVER. II verb 1. To bear flowers: bloom1, blossom, blow3, burgeon, effloresce. See BETTER, RICH. 2. To be in one's prime: flourish, shine. Idioms: cut a figure, make a splash. See THRIVE.