flowery
/ˈflaʊəɹi/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.88 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Pertaining to or characteristic of flowers.
adj
Of a speech or piece of writing: overly complicated or elaborate; with grandiloquent expressions; marked by rhetorical elegance.
adj
Example Sentences
- "“Sir you are mistaken—I am not——.” But before he could say ‘a girl,’ this ancient period-strumpet of a bedizened man (upon a pattern drawn from a time of swords and silk, when men were in their floweriest scent—savagely tattooed with braid—intoxicated with their own snuff—forever on tiptoe—disgusted with the mannish—wooing Woman after the fashion of women) burst in and silenced him, […]"
- "At last she reached a flowery knoll, at whose feet ran a little burn, shaded with woodbine and wild roses; and there she sat down, burying her face in her hands."
- "My accusers, then, as I maintain, have said little or nothing that is true, but from me you shall hear the whole truth; not, I can assure you, gentlemen, in flowery language like theirs, decked out with fine words and phrases; […]"
- "Although flowery actions are used in the plays of the 1890s, waving arms, wringing hands, and pleading with outstretched arms would be unsuitable in plays about modern life."
- "“Miss, it would be my great pleasure to escort you and your uncle to supper this evening.” Sasha stifled her desire to roll her eyes at his flowery actions, but the fact that he omitted inviting Jim irritated her."
- "He kissed her hand in a way she found just a little flowery."
Etymology
From Middle English floury, equivalent to flower + -y (adjectival suffix). Piecewise doublet of floury.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈflaʊəɹi/
- British English: /ˈflaʊəɹi/
Usage
Inflected Forms
flowerier (comparative)
more flowery (comparative)
floweriest (superlative)
most flowery (superlative)
flow'ry (alternative, obsolete)
floweries (plural)