blossom

[blos-uhm]

noun Botany.

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

the state of flowering: The apple tree is in blossom.

verb (used without object)

Botany. to produce or yield blossoms.

to flourish; develop (often followed by into or out): a writer of commercial jingles who blossomed out into an important composer.

(of a parachute) to open.

Origin of blossom

before 900; (noun) Middle English blosme, blossem, Old English blōstm(a), blōsma flower; cognate with Middle Dutch bloesem, Middle Low German blosem, blossem; (v.) Middle English blosmen, Old English blōstmian, derivative of the noun See bloom¹, blow³

Related formsblos·som·less, adjectiveblos·som·y, adjectiveout·blos·som, verb (used with object)re·blos·som, verb (used without object)un·blos·somed, adjectiveun·blos·som·ing, adjective

Synonyms for blossom

4. thrive, bloom, burgeon, sprout.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for blossom into

blossom

noun

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

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

verb (intr)

(of plants) to come into flower

to develop or come to a promising stageyouth had blossomed into maturity

Derived Formsblossoming, noun, adjectiveblossomless, adjectiveblossomy, adjective

Word Origin for blossom

Old English blōstm; related to Middle Low German blōsem, Latin flōs flower

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

Word Origin and History for blossom into

blossom

c.1200, from Old English blostm, blostma "blossom, flower, fruit," from Proto-Germanic *blo-s- (cf. Middle Low German blosom, Dutch bloesem, German Blust), from PIE *bhlow-, extended form of *bhel- (3) "to thrive, bloom," possibly identical with *bhel- (2) "to blow, inflate, swell" (see bole). This is the native word, now largely superseded by bloom and flower.

blossom

late 14c., from Old English blostmian, from blostma "blossom, flower" (see blossom (n.)). Figurative use from late 14c. Related: Blossomed; blossoming.

Idioms and Phrases with blossom into

blossom into

Also, blossom out. Develop, flourish, as in She's blossomed into a fine young woman, or His business has blossomed out and he's doing well. [Second half of 1800s]