bloom

Meanings

Noun

• A blossom; the flower of a plant; an expanded bud.
• Flowers.
• The opening of flowers in general; the state of blossoming or of having the flowers open.
• A state or time of beauty, freshness, and vigor; an opening to higher perfection, analogous to that of buds into blossoms.
• Rosy colour; the flush or glow on a person's cheek.
• The delicate, powdery coating upon certain growing or newly-gathered fruits or leaves, as on grapes, plums, etc.
• Anything giving an appearance of attractive freshness.
• The clouded appearance which varnish sometimes takes upon the surface of a picture.
• A yellowish deposit or powdery coating which appears on well-tanned leather.
• A bright-hued variety of some minerals.
• A white area of cocoa butter that forms on the surface of chocolate when warmed and cooled.
• An undesirable halo effect that may occur when a very bright region is displayed next to a very dark region of the screen.
• The spongy mass of metal formed in a furnace by the smelting process.

Verb

• To cause to blossom; to make flourish.
• To bestow a bloom upon; to make blooming or radiant.
• Of a plant, to produce blooms; to open its blooms.
• Of a person, business, etc, to flourish; to be in a state of healthful, growing youth and vigour; to show beauty and freshness.
• To bring out the flavor of a spice by cooking it in oil.

Related

Similar words

• blossom, flower
• flush, glow
• blossom, flourish, thrive

Origin

• From Middle English blome, from Old Norse blóm, from Proto-Germanic *blōmô ("flower"). of bloom (“spongy mass of metal”); see there for more.
• From Middle English bloom ("a blossom").
• From Middle English blome, from Old English blōma ("flower; lump of metal"), from Proto-Germanic *blōmô ("flower"). Cognate with West Frisian blom, Dutch bloem, German Blume, Icelandic blóm, Danish blomme, Gothic 𐌱𐌻𐍉𐌼𐌰. Related to blow, blade, blead; also related to flower, foil, and belladonna.