flora

Where does the word "flora" come from? It comes from Latin Flora, and was adopted directly into English (1777).

Flora’s story begins in Latin: Flora meant “a Roman goddess of flowers.” A Roman goddess of flowers and spring. It reached English by 1777 as flora. Named after the Roman goddess of flowers; Linnaeus's 'Flora Lapponica' (1737) set the scientific use. Today, flora means the plant life characteristic of a particular region, habitat, or period.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient Flora "a Roman goddess of flowers", a Roman goddess of flowers and spring.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1777 flora "the plant life of a region or period", named after the Roman goddess of flowers; Linnaeus's 'Flora Lapponica' (1737) set the scientific use.