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• blossom
  blossom

  noun

  the flower of a plant, especially of one producing an edible fruit.
• Blossom
  Blossom

  noun

  a first name.

blossom

¹ American  

[blos-uhm] / ˈblɒs əm /

noun

Botany.

1. the flower of a plant, especially of one producing an edible fruit.

2. the state of flowering.

   The apple tree is in blossom.

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verb (used without object)

1. Botany. to produce or yield blossoms.

2. to flourish; develop (often followed by into orout ).

   a writer of commercial jingles who blossomed out into an important composer.

   Synonyms:

   sprout, burgeon, bloom, thrive

3. (of a parachute) to open.

Blossom ² American  

[blos-uhm] / ˈblɒs əm /

noun

1. a first name.

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blossom British  

/ ˈblɒsəm /

noun

1. the flower or flowers of a plant, esp conspicuous flowers producing edible fruit

2. the time or period of flowering (esp in the phrases in blossom, in full blossom )

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verb

1. (of plants) to come into flower

2. to develop or come to a promising stage

   youth had blossomed into maturity

Usage

What does blossom mean? In botany, a blossom is the flower of a plant, normally in its early stages and often referring to a flower that becomes edible fruit, such as apple and cherry blossoms. In botanical terms, a blossom  is a flower that is attached to an edible fruit, such as a tomato blossom, or plant that is known for a product that is not the flower, like a cactus. Blossom also refers to the state of flowering, as in Washington, DC, looks lovely when all the cherry trees are in blossom. To blossom means to produce blossoms. When a plant is blossoming, it has produced flower buds that are in the process of producing petals and opening. Figuratively, to blossom means to flourish or to begin to succeed or develop. If someone tells you that you are blossoming into a good student, they mean you are getting better at your schoolwork or completing your schoolwork. Example: The cherry blossoms unfolding are always the best part of April.

Other Word Forms

• blossoming
  noun
• blossomless
  adjective
• blossomy
  adjective
• outblossom
  verb (used with object)
• reblossom
  verb (used without object)
• unblossomed
  adjective
• unblossoming
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of blossom

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun blosme, blossem, Old English blōstm(a), blōsma “flower”; cognate with Middle Dutch bloesem, Middle Low German blosem, blossem; see bloom ¹, blow ³

Explanation

The flowering part of a plant or tree that will form the seeds or fruit is called a blossom and synonyms include bloom and flower. The noun can also refer to the state of such flowering. You shouldn't miss cherry blossom time in Washington, D.C. As a verb, blossom means to produce flowers. Your favorite time of year may be spring, when all the trees blossom and the air is perfumed with their scent. The verb blossom also means to begin to flourish and develop. If you are a teenager, you might be waiting to blossom and feel confident in your personality and grow into your gangly limbs.

Example Sentences

As tech’s latest craze started to blossom in 2023, Microsoft invested $10 billion in OpenAI, the startup that had captured the world’s collective imagination with ChatGPT.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

The orange blossom had already become the state flower in 1909, and, by 1967, a year after McPhee’s opus, the orange was the state fruit.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

United might not quite be winning trophies with kids, but they have a young generation that is beginning to blossom.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

Now that Perry’s relationship with Trudeau continues to blossom, the couple may base themselves in the new home the former prime minister purchased.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 23, 2026

The picnic was drenched out of existence by a freezing rain, and there wasn’t an open blossom on the azalea trees.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• bloom
• develop
• grow
• mature
• prosper
• succeed
• thrive