noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of florist
Explanation
A florist is someone whose job involves arranging and selling cut flowers. If you can't decide what flowers to buy your mom for Mother's Day, you can ask a florist for advice. It's most common to call the owner or manager of a flower shop a florist, although the word is also used to mean a person who grows flowers meant for cutting. Whether you're buying flowers for a sick friend or planning the bouquets for a wedding, a florist is the person you should consult. Florist comes from the French fleuriste, from the Latin root word flos, or "flower."
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.
See Examples For:
The florist business has appeared to make the De la Mora family rich though clearly not happy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
In contrast, guests checking into the Ritz-Carlton New York Central Park during the World Cup are greeted with a soccer ball made of fresh flowers from British florist Jane Packer International.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
The politician also bought some flowers from a nearby florist.
From BBC ● May 1, 2026
My mom worked a number of service jobs over the course of her life, whether it was as a baker or a florist at a grocery store or working at a customer call center.
From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2026
Tall, elegant town houses and a few fashion boutiques lined the street, and there was a fancy florist shop on the corner.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
“Delivery trucks, caterers, and florists were given limited information until the last minute.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
The raids also affected small businesses orbiting around quinceañeras: makers of embossed invitations, sellers of tiaras and crowns, choreographers, caterers, florists and more.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026
“The competitive landscape is intensifying as consumers easily compare prices and reviews, forcing florists to continually innovate to retain market share.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
It also said florists could employ staff to sell fragrant lily of the valley, which is traditionally sold on Labour Day in France.
From Barron's ● May 1, 2026
They bought this concession from the cemetery officials and sold the wire frames to the florists who used them over and over again.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
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.
