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florist

American  
[flawr-ist, flohr-, flor-] / ˈflɔr ɪst, ˈfloʊr-, ˈflɒr- /

noun

  • florists
    plural
  1. a retailer of flowers, ornamental plants, etc.

  2. a grower of flowers.


florist British  
/ ˈflɒrɪst /

noun

  1. a person who grows or deals in flowers

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of florist

First recorded in 1615–25; flor- + -ist


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."

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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.

See Examples For:

Whatever Trader Joe’s or your local florist has on sale will do nicely.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

The florist said she tried to appear calm but was "absolutely petrified" at the situation.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

And he's not the only one, with florist Kadir Kokus saying sales had been badly hit since the boards were erected late last month.

From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026

Hustled from the scene by a neighboring florist, she meets the vigilant but eccentric Neighborhood Watch group at the home of reclusive former detective Augusta Dupin.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026

I stop in front of the florist shop.

From "Wintergirls" by Laurie Halse Anderson

They’re assisting the wealthy DeMille family who, it’s safe to say, are not your average florists.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

“Delivery trucks, caterers, and florists were given limited information until the last minute.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

It also said florists should open to sell fragrant lily of the valley, which is traditionally sold on Labour Day in France.

From Barron's ● May 1, 2026

Maria, who owns a florists off King's Road, said the bridge closure was causing delivery delays for her business.

From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2026

Tuxedos went to the cleaners; flowers came from the florists; Bunny put away his copy of The Bride of Fu Manchu and started carrying around a volume of Homer instead.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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