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bloomer

1
[ bloo-mer ]
/ ˈblu mər /
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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.
bloomers, (used with a plural verb)
  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.
adjective
(of a woman's garment) having full-cut legs gathered at the bottom edge: bloomer shorts.
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Origin of bloomer

1
An Americanism dating to 1850–55; named after A.J. Bloomer

Words nearby bloomer

bloody shirt, blooey, blook, bloom, bloomed, bloomer, bloomers, bloomery, Bloomfield, Bloomfieldian, blooming

Other definitions for bloomer (2 of 4)

bloomer2
[ bloo-mer ]
/ ˈblu mər /
noun
a plant that blooms: a night bloomer.
a person who develops skills, abilities, interests, etc., commensurate with their capacities: She was a quiet, methodical child who became a late bloomer.See late bloomer.

Origin of bloomer

2
First recorded in 1720–30; bloom1 + -er1

Other definitions for bloomer (3 of 4)

bloomer3
[ bloo-mer ]
/ ˈblu mər /
noun
a foolish mistake; blunder.

Origin of bloomer

3
First recorded in 1885–90; bloom(ing) (as euphemism for bloody) + -er1

Other definitions for bloomer (4 of 4)

Bloomer
[ bloo-mer ]
/ ˈblu mər /
noun
Amelia Jenks [jengks], /dʒɛŋks/, 1818–94, U.S. social reformer and women's-rights leader.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to bloomer

blooper, boner, bungle, error, fumble, goof, mistake, muff, stumble, faux pas

How to use bloomer in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bloomer (1 of 3)

bloomer1
/ (ˈbluːmə) /
noun
a plant that flowers, esp in a specified waya night bloomer

British Dictionary definitions for bloomer (2 of 3)

bloomer2
/ (ˈbluːmə) /
noun
British informal a stupid mistake; blunder

Word Origin for bloomer

C20: from blooming

British Dictionary definitions for bloomer (3 of 3)

bloomer3
/ (ˈbluːmə) /
noun
British a medium-sized loaf, baked on the sole of the oven, glazed and notched on top

Word Origin for bloomer

C20: of uncertain origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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