bloom

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A blossom; the flower of a plant; an expanded bud.
2. (collective, countable, uncountable) Flowers.
3. (uncountable) The opening of flowers in general; the state of blossoming or of having the flowers open.
4. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) A state or time of beauty, freshness, and vigor; an opening to higher perfection, analogous to that of buds into blossoms.
5. (countable, uncountable) Rosy colour; the flush or glow on a person's cheek.
6. (countable, uncountable) The delicate, powdery coating upon certain growing or newly-gathered fruits or leaves, as on grapes, plums, etc.
7. (countable, uncountable) Anything giving an appearance of attractive freshness.
8. (countable, uncountable) An algal bloom.
9. (countable, uncountable) The clouded appearance which varnish sometimes takes upon the surface of a picture.
10. (countable, uncountable) A yellowish deposit or powdery coating which appears on well-tanned leather.
11. (countable, uncountable) A bright-hued variety of some minerals.
12. (countable, uncountable) A white area of cocoa butter that forms on the surface of chocolate when warmed and cooled.
13. (countable, uncountable) A natural protective coating on an eggshell.
14. (countable, uncountable) An undesirable halo effect that may occur when a very bright region is displayed next to a very dark region of the screen.
15. (countable, uncountable) The increase in bullet spread over time as a gun's trigger is kept held.
16. (Philippines, countable, plural-normally, slang, uncountable) A fan of Filipino girl group BINI.
17. (collective, countable, uncountable) A group of ladybugs.

Verb

1. (transitive) To cause to blossom; to make flourish.
2. (transitive) To bestow a bloom upon; to make blooming or radiant.
3. (intransitive) Of a plant, to produce blooms; to open its blooms.
4. (figuratively, intransitive) To spread; to slowly expand like a field of flowers that blossom in fits and spurts.
5. (figuratively, intransitive) Of a person, business, etc, to flourish; to be in a state of healthful, growing youth and vigour; to show beauty and freshness.
6. To bring out the flavor of a spice by cooking it in oil.
7. (intransitive) To develop a layer of bloom (white, spotty areas of cocoa butter) due to repeated warming and cooling.
8. To let carbon dioxide to escape from coffee in order to improve the taste.
9. To hydrate ingredients (such as gelatin or yeast) before using them.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bluːm/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: blome

Inherited from Middle English: bloom

Inherited from Old English: blōma

Cognate with Western Frisian: blom

Cognate with Dutch: bloem

Cognate with German: Blume

Cognate with Icelandic: blóm

Cognate with Danish: blomme

Cognate with Gothic: 𐌱𐌻𐍉𐌼𐌰

In summary

From Middle English blome, from Old Norse blóm, from Proto-Germanic *blōmô (“flower”). Doublet of bloom (“spongy mass of metal”); see there for more.

Synonyms

blossom

🌼

flower

🌸

flourish

open

efflorescence

prime

bud

blooming

blossoming

blow

flush

flowering

florescence

expand

heyday

glow

freshness

sprout

rosiness

hatch

colour

burst open

cog

prime of life

ball

bloom of youth

burst

blush

😊

flowers

splendour

burgeon

beauty

shine

prosperity

peak

inflorescence

open up

prosper

salad days

youth

drive

come out

boom

💥

colouring

blank

coloring

color

garden

frosting

cheer up

Translations

fleur

🌸

blühen

fleurir

🌸

fiorire

🌸

florecer

🌸

flor

🌸

fiore

🌸

Blüte

🌼

Blume

🌸

kwiat

flos

🌸

bloem

🌸

efflorescence

fioritura

flor

🌸