bloomer

1 of 2

noun (1)

bloom·​er ˈblü-mər How to pronounce bloomer (audio)
1
: a plant that blooms
2
: a person who reaches full competence or maturity
he was a late bloomer as a writer
3
[blooming] : a stupid blunder

bloomer

2 of 2

noun (2)

bloo·​mer ˈblü-mər How to pronounce bloomer (audio)
1
: a costume for women consisting of a skirt over long loose trousers gathered closely about the ankles
2
bloomers plural
a
: full loose trousers gathered at the knee formerly worn by women for athletics
b
: underpants of similar design worn chiefly by girls and women

Examples of bloomer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
For new-wood summer bloomers (group C), trim in late winter or early spring. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2024 Actress Anna Diop wore a sheer silver sparkling dress by Dior with a bralette and bloomer shorts underneath it. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 4 Dec. 2023 Plant tall varieties in the back of a garden or intersperse shorter bloomers throughout your garden bed. Charlyne Mattox, Country Living, 28 July 2023 While poinsettias and amaryllises get a lot of attention this time of year, there are a few other winter bloomers—such as kalanchoe, cyclamen, and Christmas cactus—to make your holiday celebrations magical. Lynn Coulter, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2023 The flip side — and this is true for the late bloomers — the shame involved for a 13-year-old boy who looks 10 and someone treats them like a 10-year-old is also super devastating. Phyllis L. Fagell, Washington Post, 16 Oct. 2023 The compact bush is vigorous and an abundant bloomer. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2023 Early bloomers in the Anza Borrego include purple Desert Sand Verbena, which are beautifully blanketing Coyote Canyon. Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 8 Mar. 2023 Full sun Soil Type: Well-drained, loam Soil pH: Acid, alkaline, neutral These beautiful bloomers produce bright flowers in shades of red, pink, coral, white, and yellow from spring until the first frost. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bloomer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Amelia Bloomer

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bloomer was in 1727

Dictionary Entries Near bloomer

Cite this Entry

“Bloomer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloomer. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Biographical Definition

Bloomer

biographical name

Bloom·​er ˈblü-mər How to pronounce Bloomer (audio)
Amelia 1818–1894 née Jenks American reformer

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