Bloomer
name, noun, slang ·2 syllables ·Common ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 An ironworker.
- 2 A large or embarrassing mistake; blunder. informal
"What's more, I claim that Elmer's biggest mistake wasn't the one he made at Cedarville before six thousand witnesses. His prize bloomer was pulled in Hoboken before three witnesses"
- 3 A reform costume for women, consisting of a short dress with loose trousers gathered around the ankles, and often a broad-brimmed hat. historical
"Few garments are so absolutely unbecoming as a belted tunic that reaches to the knees, a fact which I wish some of our Rosalinds would consider when they don doublet and hose; indeed, to the disregard of this artistic principle is due the ugliness, the want of proportion, in the Bloomer costume, a costume which in other respects is sensible."
- 4 an embarrassing mistake wordnet
- 5 A circular loaf of white bread.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A woman who wears a Bloomer costume. broadly, historical
- 7 a flower that blooms in a particular way wordnet
- 8 A blooming flower.
- 9 Attributive form of bloomers. attributive, form-of
"It would have to be smuggled back to Josie’s bloomer drawer. He could persuade her to confirm his other ideas without letting her see that he had read her particularly private correspondence."
- 10 One who blooms, matures, or develops. figuratively
"She was a late bloomer."
- 1 A surname originating as an occupation.
Example
More examples"I haven't heard anyone call him a late bloomer in a while. But I do wonder when he's going to grow up."
Etymology
From Middle English blomer, from blome (“iron ingot”) (modern English bloom), from Old English blōma.
From bloom + -er.
Named after American women's-rights activist Amelia Bloomer (1818–1894), who sought to introduce this style of dress.
From Middle English Blomer, from Middle English bloma (“ingot of iron”).
Related phrases
More for "bloomer"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.