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• bloomer
  bloomer

  noun

  an outfit for women, advocated about 1850 by Amelia Jenks Bloomer, consisting of a short skirt, loose trousers gathered and buttoned at the ankle, and often a coat and a wide hat.
• Bloomer
  Bloomer

  noun

  Amelia Jenks 1818–94, U.S. social reformer and women's-rights leader.

bloomer

¹ American  

[bloo-mer] / ˈblu mər /

noun

1. an outfit for women, advocated about 1850 by Amelia Jenks Bloomer, consisting of a short skirt, loose trousers gathered and buttoned at the ankle, and often a coat and a wide hat.

2. (used with a plural verb) bloomers,

   1. loose trousers gathered at the knee, formerly worn by women as part of a gymnasium, riding, or other sports outfit.

   2. women's underpants of similar, but less bulky, design.

   3. the trousers of a bloomer outfit.

   4. any of various women's garments with full-cut legs gathered at the bottom edge.

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adjective

1. (of a woman's garment) having full-cut legs gathered at the bottom edge.

   bloomer shorts.

bloomer ² American  

[bloo-mer] / ˈblu mər /

noun

1. a plant that blooms.

   a night bloomer.

2. a person who develops skills, abilities, interests, etc., commensurate with their capacities: See late bloomer.

   She was a quiet, methodical child who became a late bloomer.

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bloomer ³ American  

[bloo-mer] / ˈblu mər /

noun

1. a foolish mistake; blunder.

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Bloomer ⁴ American  

[bloo-mer] / ˈblu mər /

noun

1. Amelia Jenks 1818–94, U.S. social reformer and women's-rights leader.

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bloomer ¹ British  

/ ˈbluːmə /

noun

1. a plant that flowers, esp in a specified way

   a night bloomer

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bloomer ² British  

/ ˈbluːmə /

noun

1. informal a stupid mistake; blunder

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bloomer ³ British  

/ ˈbluːmə /

noun

1. a medium-sized loaf, baked on the sole of the oven, glazed and notched on top

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Etymology

Origin of bloomer¹

An Americanism dating to 1850–55; named after A.J. Bloomer

Origin of bloomer²

First recorded in 1720–30; bloom ¹ + -er ¹

Origin of bloomer³

First recorded in 1885–90; bloom(ing) (as euphemism for bloody ) + -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bloomer Bloomer

I’m a late bloomer and worried I’m still missing out on living by being stuck in these idealized fantasies of what love could be.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

Deniz Undav is Germany’s unstoppable late bloomer, who scores more frequently than Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

"Now we get a loaf of bread and a cucumber," they calculated, noting that a cucumber costs 100 points and a seeded bloomer costs 150.

From BBC ● May 5, 2026

A 64-year-old late bloomer who arrived in Bloomington with a cocky press conference and group of James Madison transfers, Cignetti delivered swagger, talent and a gift for navigating college football’s turbulent, transfer-happy economy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 10, 2026

That was one good thing about being a late bloomer.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Dr Bloomer adds: "Local astronomical societies might often take eclipse glasses in so that they have a bunch to give out to people at future events."

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

Among the victims were Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah; Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals.

From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2025

To improve your chances of seeing as many planets as possible, Dr Bloomer advises heading to a location with a clear view of the horizon and minimal light pollution.

From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2025

That's why Ion, Bloomer, and their collaborators think the new global crayfish atlas will make a difference.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 25, 2024

Bloomer published an article about the dress in her temperance newspaper, the Lily, and before long it was known as the “bloomer outfit.”

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling