blostma

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *blōstmō, from Proto-Germanic *blōstmô (“flower”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃-. Cognate with Old Norse blómstr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbloːst.mɑ/

Noun

blōstma m

1. flower, blossom
   • late 9th century, translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History

     Iċ ġeseah þone fæġerostan feld fulne grōwendra blostmena.

     I saw the most beautiful field full of growing flowers.

2. blossom, bloom; blooming, flowering
   • Exeter Book, riddle 40

     Þēah þe līlie sīe beorht on blostman, iċ eom betere þonne hēo.

     Though a lily is bright in its bloom, I am better than it.

Declension

Weak:

	singular	plural
nominative	blōstma	blōstman
accusative	blōstman	blōstman
genitive	blōstman	blōstmena
dative	blōstman	blōstmum

Derived terms

• blōstmbǣre
• blōstmfrēols
• blōstmiġ

Related terms

• blōstm
• blōwan

Descendants

• Middle English: blostme, blosme
  • English: blossom
  • Scots: blossum, blossom