English Meaning & Definitions
To grow, develop, or thrive in a healthy and vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment.
- “The small tech startup began to flourish after securing its first major venture capital investment.”
- “Arts and philosophy flourished in ancient Athens during the Golden Age.”
To wave or brandish something dramatically in the air to attract attention.
- “The magician flourished his cape before dramatically pulling a rabbit from his hat.”
- “He flourished the signed contract in triumph before the gathered news reporters.”
An impressive, bold, or dramatic action, gesture, or detail.
- “She ended her ice skating routine with a dramatic spin and a flourish.”
- “The chef added a final flourish of microgreens to garnish the dish.”
An ornamental stroke or embellishment in calligraphy, handwriting, or music.
- “The historical letter concluded with an elaborate signature full of decorative flourishes.”
- “A sudden trumpet flourish announced the arrival of the royal court.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “flourish”.
Middle English 'florisshen', derived from Old French 'floriss-', the stem of 'florir' ('to blossom, flourish'). This traces back to Vulgar Latin '*florīre', from Classical Latin 'flōrēre' ('to bloom, prosper'), rooted in 'flōs' ('flower'). Thus, the word fundamentally connects thriving or grand gestures to the idea of a flower blooming.
Think of 'FLOWER-ish' — when a plant grows flowers, it is thriving and blooming with vitality.
Frequently Asked Questions About “flourish”
1. What is the meaning of “flourish” in English?
In English, flourish (verb) is defined as: “To grow, develop, or thrive in a healthy and vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment.”.
2. How do you use “flourish” in a sentence?
“The small tech startup began to flourish after securing its first major venture capital investment.”
3. What are English synonyms of “flourish”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “flourish”?
Middle English 'florisshen', derived from Old French 'floriss-', the stem of 'florir' ('to blossom, flourish'). This traces back to Vulgar Latin '*florīre', from Classical Latin 'flōrēre' ('to bloom, prosper'), rooted in 'flōs' ('flower'). Thus, the word fundamentally connects thriving or grand gestures to the idea of a flower blooming.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.