burgeon

American  

[bur-juhn] / ˈbɜr dʒən /

Also bourgeon

verb (used without object)

burgeons, present (3rd person singular) burgeoned, past participle, past burgeoning present participle

1. to grow or develop quickly; flourish.

   The town burgeoned into a city. He burgeoned into a fine actor.

   Synonyms:

   thrive, mushroom, blossom, bloom

2. to be brimming or filled to bursting; abound (usually followed by with).

   All the new students are burgeoning with energy and potential. The kitchen drawers were burgeoning with tea towels.

3. to begin to grow, as a bud; put forth buds, shoots, etc., as a plant (often followed byout, forth ).

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verb (used with object)

burgeons, present (3rd person singular) burgeoned, past participle, past burgeoning present participle

1. to put forth, as buds.

noun

1. a bud; sprout.

burgeon British  

/ ˈbɜːdʒən /

verb

1. (of a plant) to sprout (buds)

2. (intr; often foll by forth or out) to develop or grow rapidly; flourish

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noun

1. a bud of a plant

Usage

The two senses of burgeon, “to bud” ( The maples are burgeoning ) and “to grow or flourish” ( The suburbs around the city have been burgeoning under the impact of commercial growth ), date from the 14th century. Today the sense “to grow or flourish” is the more common. Occasionally, objections are raised to the use of this sense, perhaps because of its popularity in journalistic writing.

Other Word Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has burgeoned
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have burgeoned
  perfect
• am burgeoning
  progressive 1st person singular
• is burgeoning
  progressive 3rd person singular
• have been burgeoning
  perfect progressive
• has been burgeoning
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• burgeons
  singular 3rd person
• are burgeoning
  progressive
• burgeoning
  participle

Past

• had burgeoned
  perfect
• had been burgeoning
  perfect progressive
• burgeoned
  participle
• burgeoned
  simple
• were burgeoning
  progressive plural
• was burgeoning
  progressive singular

Future

• will burgeon
  simple
• will have burgeoned
  perfect
• will have been burgeoning
  perfect progressive
• will be burgeoning
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of burgeon

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English noun burjon, burion “shoot, bud,” from Anglo-French burjun, burg(e)on; Old French burjon, from unattested Vulgar Latin burriōne(m), accusative of unattested burriō, derivative of Late Latin burra “wool, fluff“ ( cf. bourrée, bureau), presumably from the down covering certain buds; verb derivative of the noun

Explanation

Use the verb burgeon to describe something that is growing, expanding, and flourishing. If you have a green thumb, in the spring your flower gardens may burgeon. If you don't have a green thumb, your collection of plastic plants may burgeon. Although burgeon means to grow and flourish, it doesn't necessarily have to apply only to plants. Your town can have burgeoning downtown development. Your tiny retirement account can burgeon into an excellent emergency fund if you invest even a small amount each month. You may have a burgeoning career as a villain if you overthrow a planet by using your mind-controlling ray gun on the populace.

Related Words

• prosper
• snowball
• sprout