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Flori– is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “flower.” It is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in botany and biology.

Flori– ultimately comes from the Latin �ڱ�ō��, meaning “flower.” The terms florescence (not to be confused with fluorescence), florid, and even flower are ultimately related to this same Latin root. Find out how at our entries for florescence and florid.

The Greek equivalents of flor– include the combining forms anth–, antho–, and, at the end of words, –anthous. Want to know more? Read our �y��vlogs That Use articles for these three forms.

What are variants of flori-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, flori– becomes flor–, as in florist. Want to know more? Read our �y��vlogs That Use flor– article.

One example of a scientific term that features the combining form flori– is floriculture, “the cultivation of flowers or flowering plants, especially for ornamental purposes.”

We know that flori– means “flower,” but the –culture part of the word, despite its appearance, doesn’t relate to the fine arts. In biology, culture means “care of plants,” from Latin ���ܱ���ū����. Floriculture has a literal sense “growing flowers.”

What are some words that use the combining form flori-?

• floriated
• floricane
• floriferous (using the equivalent form of flori– in Latin)
• florigen
• florilegium (using the equivalent form of flori– in Latin)

What are some other forms that flori– may be commonly confused with?

• flex-
• flav-
• fluor-

The combining form –gen means “that which produces.” With this in mind, what would the hypothetical substance florigen do?