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Origin and history of floruit

floruit

"period during which a historical person's life work was done," 1843, Latin, literally "he flourished," third person singular perfect indicative of florere "to flourish, to bloom" (see flourish (v.)). Usually in abbreviation fl. The third person singular present subjunctive of the verb, floreat, sometimes is attached to proper names "to indicate the hope that the named person, institution, etc., may prosper" [OED].

Entries linking to floruit

c. 1300, florishen, "to blossom, grow" (intransitive), from Old French floriss-, stem of florir "to blossom, flower, bloom; prosper," from Latin florere "to bloom, blossom, flower," figuratively "to be prosperous," from flos "a flower" (reconstructed to be from PIE root *bhel- (3) "to thrive, bloom").

The metaphoric sense of "thrive" in English is attested by mid-14c. The transitive meaning "brandish (a weapon), hold in the hand and wave about" is attested from late 14c., on the notion of making a show of it. Related: Flourished; flourishing.

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