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

Three nude women share an intimate standing pose against a lush green and blue background homage to Henri Rousseau’s exotic jungle imagery, replete with banana and pineapple flowering plants. —Natasha Gural, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Here’s What to Plant in Fall for a Beautiful Blooming Spring Yard 01 of 10 Canna Lilies Although canna lilies (Canna spp.) are treated as annual plants in cold climates, these flowering plants can be kept as perennials in USDA Zones 7–10. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024

Turmeric and ginger, commonly used as seasonings, in drinks, and as dietary supplements, come from tropical flowering plants. —Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 23 Sep. 2024

That's why flowering plants rely on either the wind or flower-feeding animals such as bees to transfer male-gamete-containing pollen from one flower to another. —Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined above

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