flower
noun /ˈflaʊə(r)/
/ˈflaʊər/
Idioms 
enlarge imagethe 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
the flower of something
- (literary) the finest or best part of something
- They were cut down in the flower of their youth.