Efflorescent
/ˌɛfləˈrɛsənt/noun
Becoming flowerlike, blooming, or developing a powdery coating as a surface changes.
Did you know?Efflorescent comes from the same Latin flower-root as effeminate, flourish, and deflower, all ultimately tied to the ancient image of blossoming and unfolding.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰleh₃-
“to bloom, flower, or blossom”
Latin
Latin
flōs, flōris
“a flower or blossom”
Latin
Latin
efflorescere
“to begin to bloom; to blossom out”
Late Latin / Middle English
Latin/English
efflorescentem
“flowering out; becoming flowerlike”
17th Century
English
efflorescent
“blooming, flowering, or forming a powdery crust on a surface”
Explore more surprising origins