Meaning: flower

Illustrative Context

What type of flower is this?

Target Sense

• The most generic noun for a flower, prototypically a small plant with a single stem and single flower head.
• In many languages the same term may be applicable more widely also to each of the individual flower heads of a larger plant or indeed tree. Avoid, however, terms specific to those referents, e.g. bloom, blossom. The term selected must be able to refer to the prototypical case of a single stem and single flower head.
• Avoid terms specific to prepared or cultivated flowers, or to wild flowers. Only if a language distinguishes separate terms for wild vs. cultivated flowers, and does not have a common cover term applicable to both, then select the term for wild flower.
• Avoid terms specific to particular uses of flowers, e.g. for decoration.
• Avoid terms that are predominantly figurative, in senses such as beauty, freshness, prime or vigour, e.g. the ‘flower’ of youth.
• Follow common usage in the language, not strict botanical definitions of ‘flower’. Avoid technical, botanical terms.