noun
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a bunch of flowers, esp a large carefully arranged one
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Also called: nose. the characteristic aroma or fragrance of a wine or liqueur
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a compliment or expression of praise
Etymology
Origin of bouquet
1710–20; < French: bunch, originally thicket, grove; Old French bosquet, equivalent to bosc wood (< Germanic; see bosk, bush 1) + -et -et
Explanation
A bouquet is an arrangement of flowers. A simple bouquet of flowers from your garden makes a lovely centerpiece for your table or a nice hostess gift when you are a guest. The word bouquet comes from the Old French term meaning "clump of trees." Because it would be difficult for a bride to lug a clump of trees down the aisle at her wedding, thankfully the word now means "a small bunch of arranged flowers." Bouquet can also describe the scent of these flowers, or anything that is a blend of scents, like perfume or wine.
Vocabulary lists containing bouquet
The Nose Knows: Olfactory Vocabulary
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"Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
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"O Captain! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A seed shaker swaps the bouquet for something that actually grows.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
Unusually for a Saturday morning, it was deserted, so he picked five tulips for the bouquet.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
Today’s red-pilled men would find much in common with Soames’ worldview, while women may recognize him as a bouquet of red flags wrapped in a bespoke suit.
From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026
When a New York Times reporter tried to interview a woman in a chef’s apron and clogs carrying a flower bouquet, she ran back to her van.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026
“Hey. I’m alive,” I say, my eyes widening as they land on the beautiful bouquet of flowers still on my side table.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
