flourishing
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of flourishing
A Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at flourish, -ing 2
Explanation
When something is flourishing, it's healthy or successful. Your flourishing lemonade stand is especially busy on hot summer afternoons. A flourishing rose bush has glossy green leaves and bright blossoms, and a city's flourishing music scene means you can see live bands every weekend and hear many different types of music. This adjective is used today for anything that's thriving or prospering, but originally it meant "full of flowers," from the Latin root flos, "a 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.
It isn't only South East Asia - scam centres also flourishing in countries such as India and the UAE.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
Most importantly for the long term, we are seeing the EU lay the groundwork for a potential flourishing of capitalism by supporting technology and innovation and by reforming and deregulating where appropriate.
From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026
Such businesses recognize that the end goal is not profit per se but the flourishing of their customers, employees and communities.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026
Why did such a difficult time for the American people coincide with such a flourishing of creativity?
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026
By the seventh century, the West had withered with the fall of Rome, but the East was flourishing.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
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.
