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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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bloomer Bloomer

This upcoming bloom spotlights a plant nicknamed Odora, who last opened in 2024, and Odorysseus, a rookie public bloomer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 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

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

Merrill Kelly, 37, SP, 2.9, 15.8: A late bloomer who became a stalwart starter for the Diamondbacks for years, Kelly might be restricted to a two-year deal because of his age.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2025

I’m always surprised when people say I was a late bloomer, because gymnastics has been my life since I was six years old.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

Bloomer also emphasized that the investigation would not have been possible without museum collections.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

"This was a case where we saw something unusual in the field and it sparked a future research direction," Bloomer said.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

"They all seemed to max out around that 80-millimeter mark, but we weren't sure why, especially given that there are absolutely massive crayfish in other parts of the world," Bloomer said.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

Dr Bloomer says "significant sunspot activity" is visible with solar filtering but that you need magnification when viewing with the naked eye.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

Truth be told, the appearance of the Bloomer was not unlike a black-nosed, golden-horned, bloodred bull, snorting and puffing steam out of its nostrils and its tall, glittering horns.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

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