flower girl: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1formal (wedding context); informal/historical (street vendor context)
Quick answer
What does “flower girl” mean?
A young girl who carries or scatters flowers at a wedding ceremony.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A young girl who carries or scatters flowers at a wedding ceremony.
A girl or young woman who sells flowers on the street or in a market; historically, a girl who sold flowers.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both meanings are understood in both varieties. The vendor sense may be slightly more associated with historical London contexts in BrE.
Connotations
Wedding context is universally positive; vendor context may carry connotations of poverty or Victorian-era street life.
Frequency
Much more frequent in the wedding context. The vendor sense is low-frequency and often found in historical fiction or descriptions.
Grammar
How to Use “flower girl” in a Sentence
[flower girl] + [at + WEDDING][flower girl] + [for + BRIDE][flower girl] + [to + VERB (e.g., scatter petals)]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “flower girl” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The flower-girl basket was woven with ribbons.
American English
- Her flower-girl dress was pale yellow.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
(Rare, unless in wedding planning industry)
Academic
(Rare, potentially in historical/sociological texts)
Everyday
Common when discussing wedding plans.
Technical
Not applicable.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “flower girl”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “flower girl”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “flower girl”
- Using for an adult bridesmaid (specific to young girls).
- Confusing with 'best man' or 'maid of honour'.
- Misspelling as 'flowergirl' (can be one word).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally no, but modern weddings sometimes have 'flower boys' or 'petal tossers' in a similar role.
Usually between 3 and 8 years old, old enough to walk down the aisle but young enough to fit the 'sweet' tradition.
It is most commonly written as two words ('flower girl'), but the hyphenated form ('flower-girl') is also acceptable, especially when used as an adjective.
A flower girl is typically a young child and her main role is to scatter petals. A bridesmaid is an adult or older teen who assists the bride throughout the wedding process.
A young girl who carries or scatters flowers at a wedding ceremony.
Flower girl is usually formal (wedding context); informal/historical (street vendor context) in register.
Flower girl: in British English it is pronounced /ˈflaʊə ɡɜːl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈflaʊɚ ɡɝːl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a girl scattering FLOWERS at a wedding – she's literally a girl for the flowers.
Conceptual Metaphor
INNOCENCE/SPRING IS A FLOWER GIRL (purity, new beginnings, natural beauty).
Practice
Quiz
In a historical context, what was a 'flower girl' most likely to be?