Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “flowery” come from?

Flowery comes from Middle English floury, formed with the Middle English suffix -y from Middle French flour (flower) via Old French flor, ultimately from Latin flōs, flōris, derived from Proto-Indo-European bʰel- meaning to swell or bloom.

flowery (English): Pertaining to flowers; Decorated with or abundant...

Definitions

  1. Pertaining to flowers; Decorated with or abundant...

Ancestry of “flowery”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishflowerA colorful, conspicuous structure associated with...
2Middle EnglishflourA flower; A depiction or likeness of a flower;...
3Anglo-NormanflurAlternative form of flor
4Old Frenchflorflower
5Latinflōs—
6Proto-Italicflōsflower, blossom
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰleh₃-sflower, blossom
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰleh₃-bloom, flower
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰel-to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰōl-—

Words derived from “flowery”

  • floweriness
  • unflowery
  • flowerily
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl- →