French word

fleurir

Pronunciation

IPA/flœʁiʁ/

Meaning

  • verbbloom

Example

Les cerisiers fleurissent au printemps.

The cherry trees bloom in spring.

Illustration for fleurir (bloom)

More examples

Sur la terrasse, les balconnières commencent à fleurir.

On the terrace, the window boxes are beginning to bloom.

Core concept

A plant opening its flowers along the stems, with visible growth extending to prosperity.

Common phrases

  • le pommier fleurit

    The apple tree blooms

  • les champs fleurissent

    The fields bloom

  • commencer à fleurir

    begin to bloom

Similar words

pousser: Grow by extending stems or roots.
s'ouvrir: Open so the inside of a bud or flower becomes visible.
s'épanouir: Open out fully into a lush, showy bloom.

Definition in French

Produire des fleurs ou s'ouvrir en fleurs; utilisé aussi au sens figuré pour prospérer.

Word origin

Fleurir comes through Old French florir from Latin florere, built on flor-, meaning flower, and later gained its figurative sense of thriving.

Usage tips

  • Fleurir describes the process of blooming, whereas être en fleurs describes a plant already in flower.

Other meanings

  • flourishverb

Opposites

Related words

  • fleuriin bloomadjective
  • fleurissementfloweringnoun

Word lists with this word