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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:

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

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

América Peraza, a florist in Mexico City, gushes over García Harfuch, describing him as handsome, intelligent and elegant.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 12, 2026

Madame Carre, the florist, tucks great fistfuls of it into an arrangement headed for the chateau.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

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

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

Overall, there was only a single topline category, miscellaneous store retailers—which includes florists, thrift stores, and pet stores—that posted an outright decline in monthly spending.

From Barron's Apr. 21, 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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