single-flowering
|sin-gle-flow-er-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˈsɪŋɡəlˌflaʊɚɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˈsɪŋɡəlˌflaʊərɪŋ/
one flower / single-bloom
Etymology
'single-flowering' is a Modern English compound formed from 'single' + 'flowering'. 'single' comes ultimately from Latin 'singulus' meaning 'one, individual', and 'flowering' is from 'flower' (Old French 'flor' / Latin 'flos, floris') with the -ing suffix forming a participial/adjectival form.
'single' derives via Old French (sengle) from Latin 'singulus'; 'flower' comes from Old French 'flor' and Latin 'flos, floris'. The pattern of compounding an adjective + -ing participle is a feature of Modern English, producing terms such as 'single-flowering'.
Initially the components meant 'one/individual' (single) and 'to produce flowers' (flowering). Combined in modern usage the compound denotes either 'having single (not double) flowers' or 'bearing a single flower per stem', a specialized botanical/horticultural sense.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having single (not double) flowers — i.e., flowers with a single row of petals so the stamens are usually visible (horticultural/botanical usage).
Many old rose varieties are single-flowering, with one row of petals and visible stamens.
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Adjective 2
bearing a single flower (per stem or per inflorescence) — producing one flower at a time or one flower on a given shoot.
This species is single-flowering: each stem typically supports a single bloom rather than a cluster.
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Last updated: 2025/08/22 02:26