flower-of-an-hour: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (specialized botanical, literary)Formal, literary, botanical
Quick answer
What does “flower-of-an-hour” mean?
A short-lived hibiscus plant (Hibiscus trionum) whose blooms open for only a few hours.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A short-lived hibiscus plant (Hibiscus trionum) whose blooms open for only a few hours.
A thing or experience of fleeting, ephemeral beauty.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The plant name is identical, but metaphor usage is rarer in AmE.
Connotations
Poetic, slightly old-fashioned in both; stronger association with classical English poetry in BrE.
Frequency
Very low in everyday speech. Slightly more likely in BrE literary contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “flower-of-an-hour” in a Sentence
[subject] was/were a flower-of-an-houras ephemeral as a flower-of-an-hourVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “flower-of-an-hour” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- His success had a flower-of-an-hour quality about it.
American English
- The peace treaty proved to be a flower-of-an-hour agreement.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; used metaphorically for a short-lived market trend or product.
Academic
Used in botany and literary criticism discussing themes of transience.
Everyday
Virtually unused in casual conversation.
Technical
Standard common name for Hibiscus trionum in botanical texts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “flower-of-an-hour”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “flower-of-an-hour”
- Incorrect hyphenation: 'flower of an hour' (less standard)
- Using it as a countable noun without the hyphens: 'a flower of an hour'
- Confusing it with 'hourglass' or other time-related imagery.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is rare and specialized, used primarily in botanical contexts or as a literary metaphor.
Yes, but it is poetic and suggests their beauty or impact is very brief, like the plant's bloom.
Yes, its scientific name is Hibiscus trionum. It has other common names like 'Venice mallow' or 'bladder ketmia'.
Use it in a comparative structure: 'His fame was a flower-of-an-hour.'
A short-lived hibiscus plant (Hibiscus trionum) whose blooms open for only a few hours.
Flower-of-an-hour is usually formal, literary, botanical in register.
Flower-of-an-hour: in British English it is pronounced /ˌflaʊər əv ən ˈaʊə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌflaʊər əv ən ˈaʊər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[something] is but a flower-of-an-hour”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
The FLOWER lasts only ONE HOUR.
Conceptual Metaphor
BEAUTY IS A FLEETING NATURAL EVENT; LIFE IS A SHORT-LIVED BLOOM.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'flower-of-an-hour'?