burgeon

American  

[bur-juhn] / ˈbɜr dʒən /

Also bourgeon

verb (used without object)

1. to grow or develop quickly; flourish.

   The town burgeoned into a city. He burgeoned into a fine actor.

   Synonyms:

   thrive, mushroom, blossom, bloom

2. to be brimming or filled to bursting; abound (usually followed by with).

   All the new students are burgeoning with energy and potential. The kitchen drawers were burgeoning with tea towels.

3. to begin to grow, as a bud; put forth buds, shoots, etc., as a plant (often followed byout, forth ).

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verb (used with object)

1. to put forth, as buds.

noun

1. a bud; sprout.

burgeon British  

/ ˈbɜːdʒən /

verb

1. (of a plant) to sprout (buds)

2. (intr; often foll by forth or out) to develop or grow rapidly; flourish

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noun

1. a bud of a plant

Usage

The two senses of burgeon, “to bud” ( The maples are burgeoning ) and “to grow or flourish” ( The suburbs around the city have been burgeoning under the impact of commercial growth ), date from the 14th century. Today the sense “to grow or flourish” is the more common. Occasionally, objections are raised to the use of this sense, perhaps because of its popularity in journalistic writing.

Etymology

Origin of burgeon

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English noun burjon, burion “shoot, bud,” from Anglo-French burjun, burg(e)on; Old French burjon, from unattested Vulgar Latin burriōne(m), accusative of unattested burriō, derivative of Late Latin burra “wool, fluff“ ( bourrée, bureau ), presumably from the down covering certain buds; verb derivative of the noun

Example Sentences

Still, the burgeoning robotaxi industry could be extremely lucrative for Tesla if Musk can deliver on his promises.

From Los Angeles Times

It is the most significant action the administration has taken thus far against the burgeoning U.S. business.

From The Wall Street Journal

The splashy affair helped cement the reputation of the burgeoning community of about 1,000 full-time residents as a vacation retreat for Hollywood’s movers and shakers.

From Los Angeles Times

IBM has demonstrated a commitment to AI, both through its products on the market today as well as through its burgeoning IBM Research division External link.

From Barron's

This gap is a warning sign for the burgeoning gig economy, where workers trade stable employee benefits for more flexible schedules.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• prosper
• snowball
• sprout