flower-feeding
|flow/er/feed/ing|
🇺🇸
/ˈflaʊɚˌfiːdɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˈflaʊəˌfiːdɪŋ/
(flower-feed)
feeding on flowers
Etymology
'flower-feeding' originates from Modern English as a compound of 'flower' + the present participle 'feeding' (from the verb 'feed').
'flower' ultimately comes from Old French 'flor' and Latin 'flōs, flōris' meaning 'blossom', while 'feed' comes from Old English 'fēdan' meaning 'to give food' or 'to make to eat'. The compound 'flower-feeding' is a relatively recent productive formation in Modern English combining these elements.
The component words originally meant 'blossom' and 'to give food'; combined in Modern English they form the descriptive sense 'feeding on flowers', a meaning that is straightforward and has remained stable as a technical/descriptive ecological term.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or habit of feeding on flowers (e.g., consuming nectar, pollen, or floral tissue); often used in ecology to describe behavior of insects, birds, or other animals.
Flower-feeding is common among many pollinating insects.
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Verb 1
present participle form of 'flower-feed' (to feed on flowers).
The larvae were flower-feeding throughout the summer.
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Adjective 1
describing an organism or behavior that feeds on flowers.
Flower-feeding beetles can damage the blossoms of orchard trees.
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Last updated: 2026/01/14 06:29