flourish
- To grow well and be healthy and successful.
- To wave something, like a hand or object, in a bold or showy way to get attention.
In a sentence
- With plenty of sunlight and water, the vegetable garden began to flourish by midsummer.
- The magician flourished his cape dramatically before revealing the rabbit hidden underneath.
Usage note. 'Flourish' is also used as a noun to describe an elaborate decorative curve in handwriting or a dramatic sweeping gesture, so context will tell you whether it is describing growth or showmanship.
Where it comes from
English flourish · entered English 14th c.
From Old French 'floriss-,' the stem of 'florir,' meaning to flower or bloom, which came from Latin 'florere,' meaning to flower, from 'flos' (stem 'flor-'), meaning flower. The word entered Middle English in the 14th century and originally described plants blooming before expanding to describe people and ideas thriving. The Latin root 'flos' also gives us 'floral' and 'flora.'