Revised as of
19 Nov 2022
Flour and flower are heterographs (a subset of homophone), words that sound the same but have different meanings, origins, and spelling.
Which is why it can be so disconcerting to read of someone flowering the bread board before rolling out sugar cookies. Hmmm, I wonder if some author somewhere has arranged flours in a vase?
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end. Consider sharing this Word Confusion with friends by tweeting it.
Flour | Flower |
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Part of Grammar: | |
Uncountable Noun; Verb, intransitive & transitive
Plural for the noun: flours Third person present verb: flours |
Noun 1, 2; Verb 1, intransitive & transitive
Plural for the noun: flowers Third person present verb: flowers |
Noun: A powder obtained by grinding grain, typically wheat, and used to make bread, cakes, and pastry
Verb, intransitive:
To disintegrate into minute particles Verb, transitive: Grind and bolt To sprinkle or dredge with flour
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Noun: [Botany] Seed-bearing part of a plant, consisting of reproductive organs (stamens and carpels) that are typically surrounded by a brightly colored corolla (petals) and a green calyx (sepals) 1
[the flower of] The finest individuals out of a number of people or things
An ornament or adornment representing a flower [Printing] An ornamental piece of type, especially a stylized floral design, often used in a line to decorate chapter headings, page borders, or bindings [Slang] An effeminate man or boy (favors horticultural terms such as lily, pansy) 2
Verb, intransitive:
Be in or reach an optimum stage of development
Verb, transitive:
To cover or deck with flowers To decorate with a floral design |
Examples: | |
Noun: Any idea where I can get buckwheat flour? Manioc flour is made from cassavas. A four sifter is essential for a baker. There are different types of flours that are best used for different recipes. I counted up to 27 different flours. Using a flour not specified in the recipe can ruin the outcome. Verb, intransitive: Shaking mercury in the presence of detrimental substances, or stamping in the mortar, promotes flouring. Verb, transitive: It’s best to flour liver before cooking it. Flouring the board makes it easier to release the cookie dough after you roll it out. |
Noun: I adore brilliantly colored flowers. I stopped to buy Bridget some flowers. The story is all hearts and flowers. The roses were just coming into flower. They are the flower of college track athletes. A young policeman in the flower of his life was gunned down. Verb, intransitive: It was in the Postmodernism era that the theory of deconstruction has flowered most extravagantly. Her talent flowered during her later years. Verb, transitive: The gazebo was flowering in vines and climbing roses. His flowering youth was a miracle. |
Derivatives: | |
Adjective: flourless, flourless, floury, unfloured Verb: overflour |
Adjective: flowered, flowerful, flowerless, flowerlike Noun: flowerer, floweret, flowering, wallflower Verb: reflower |
Phrasal Verb | |
in flower | |
History of the Word: | |
Middle English has a specific use of flower in the sense of the best part, used originally to mean the finest quality of ground wheat. The spelling flower remained in use alongside flour until the early 19th century. |
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C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Flour versus Flower
Apple Dictionary.com
MacMillan Dictionary: flower
Pinterest Photo Credits
Bob’s Red Mill Amaranth Flour is courtesy of Jet.com while its origin is from the amaranthus flower. This particular amaranth is a variant known as Love-Lies-Bleeding.