flower

Where does the word "flower" come from? It comes from Latin flos, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Flower’s story begins in Latin: flos meant “flower.” The root of 'flora', 'florist' and 'flourish'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as flor. 'the flower of' meant the finest part. It reached English by 1200s as flower. 'flour' is the same word, the 'flower' or finest part of ground grain. Today, flower means the blossom of a plant.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient flos "flower", the root of 'flora', 'florist' and 'flourish'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval flor "flower; the best", 'the flower of' meant the finest part.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s flower "blossom", 'flour' is the same word, the 'flower' or finest part of ground grain.