bloomer
bloomer Lexical Profile
bloomer Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A plant that produces flowers, or a person who matures, develops, or achieves success at a specified time or rate (usually used with a modifier such as 'early' or 'late').
"Although he struggled with reading in primary school, he turned out to be a late bloomer who eventually earned a doctorate in literature."
(usually in plural, 'bloomers') Loose-fitting women's trousers or knickers gathered at the knee or ankle, historically worn in the nineteenth century as an alternative to heavy skirts or later as undergarments.
"Early suffragettes often wore bloomers when riding bicycles, as the garment allowed much greater freedom of movement."
British A crusty white loaf of bread with an oblong, rounded shape and diagonal slashes across the top, baked on a flat tray rather than in a tin.
"She picked up a fresh crusty bloomer from the village bakery to make thick sandwiches for the picnic."
British (informal) A foolish, embarrassing, or careless mistake.
"The television presenter made an embarrassing bloomer when he mispronounced the guest's name live on air."
• Rhymes for bloomer
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The garment sense is named after Amelia Jenks Bloomer (1818–1894), an American women's rights and temperance advocate who popularized the style in her periodical 'The Lily' in the 1850s. The botanical and personal senses derive directly from 'bloom' plus the agentive suffix '-er'.