in botany, "envelope of a flower," 1706, from French périanthe, from Modern Latin perianthium (17c.), literally "that which is round the flower," from Greek peri "around, about" (see peri-) + Greek anthos "flower" (see anther). Related: Perianthal.

"flowery," 1590s, from Latin florentulus, from flor-, stem of flos "flower" (see flower (n.)).

"flower-shaped ornament," late 14c., floroun, from Old French floron (Modern French fleuron), from flor "flower" (see flower (n.)). Spelling modified 17c. in English based on French.

"fennel-like umbelliferous plant of the carrot family found wild in Egypt and Syria and cultivated for its fruit," Old English cymen, from Latin cuminum, from Greek kyminon, cognate with Hebrew kammon, Arabic kammun. Related: Cumic.

also fleur-de-lys, mid-14c., from Anglo-French flour de lis "lily-flower" (see lily), from Old French, literally "flower of the iris," especially borne as a heraldic device on the royal arms of France. There is much dispute over what it is meant to resemble; perhaps an iris flower, or the head of a scepter, or a weapon of some sort. In Middle English often taken as flour delice "flower of joy, lovely flower" (hence Anglo-Latin flos deliciae); also flour de luce "flower of light" (as if from Latin lucem).

leguminous plant in western Asia and North Africa, Old English fenograecum, from Latin faenugraecum, literally "Greek hay," from faenum (see fennel) + Graecum (see Greek). The modern form in English is from French fenugrec.

"porch at the west end of early churches," the end furthest from the sanctuary (used by penitents not admitted to the body of the church), 1670s, from Late Greek narthex, in classical Greek "giant fennel," a word of unknown origin, perhaps Pre-Greek. The architectural feature allegedly was so called from the fancied resemblance of the porch to a hollow stem. The word also was used in Greek to mean "a small case for unguents, etc." According to Hesiod ("Theogeny"), Prometheus conveyed fire from Heaven to Earth in hollow fennel stalks. Related: Narthecal.

"any flower or plant growing in grain fields" (typically the common bluebottle), 1570s, from corn (n.1) + flower (n.).

large genus of flowering plants including carnations, 1849, from Modern Latin (Linnaeus), literally "flower of Zeus," from Greek Dios, genitive of Zeus "Zeus" (see Zeus) + anthos "flower" (see anther).

"full bloom, period or act of blooming, time that the flower is expanded," 1811, from Greek anthesis, noun of action from antheein "to blossom," from anthos "flower" (see anther).