flowering plant

noun

plural flowering plants
: any of a class (Angiospermae) of vascular plants that have male and female reproductive structures enclosed in a flower, that have seeds which arise from ovules contained in the ovaries, and that produce dry or fleshy fruits after double fertilization : angiosperm
The butterflies feed off the nectar of any flowering plant and lay their eggs on what's called a host plant.Michael Fitzpatrick
About 75% of all flowering plants rely on animal pollinators and over 200,000 species of animals act as pollinators.Steve Smith
Duckweed, the smallest flowering plant, measures less than 5 millimeters across.Timothy Cooney et al.

Examples of flowering plant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In fact, this report indicates that the radiation of modern birds occurred at the same time that flowering plants and other creatures first appeared, and may have been sped up avian evolution. Grrlscientist, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 Honeybee populations alone pollinate 80% of flowering plants including fruits and vegetables, according to the USDA. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 19 Jan. 2024 Angiosperm is the scientific name for flowering plants and refers to the seeds being borne in capsules or fruits. Deb Wiley, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2024 And flowering plants like the witch hazel use spring actuation to launch seeds out of their fruits. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 28 Aug. 2023 Step into this oasis right on the edge of bustling South Boulevard and browse rows of orchids, flowering plants, seasonal selections and more. Katie Toussaint, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 The Maine Crisp company makes five varieties of crisps and three flavors of crackers all using buckwheat, the seed harvested from the flowering plant. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2024 The festivities began with cocktails on the grand terrace, filled with flowering plants and flamingo-pink couches. Ian Malone, Vogue, 8 Dec. 2023 The reason this works with most flowering plants is because the plants are attempting to make seeds. Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flowering plant was in 1725

Dictionary Entries Near flowering plant

Cite this Entry

“Flowering plant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flowering%20plant. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

flowering plant

noun
: any of a major group of higher plants that produce flowers, fruits, and seeds with the seeds in a closed ovary

called also angiosperm

compare seed plant

More from Merriam-Webster on flowering plant

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