Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
verb (used without object)
- to grow or develop quickly; flourish: The town burgeoned into a city. He burgeoned into a fine actor.
- to begin to grow, as a bud; put forth buds, shoots, etc., as a plant (often followed by out, forth).
verb (used with object)
- to put forth, as buds.
noun
- a bud; sprout.
verb
- (often foll by forth or out) (of a plant) to sprout (buds)
- (intr ; often foll by forth or out) to develop or grow rapidly; flourish
noun
- a bud of a plant
early 14c., “grow, sprout, blossom,” from Anglo-French burjuner, Old French borjoner “to bud, sprout,” from borjon “a bud, shoot, pimple” (Modern French bourgeon), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Vulgar Latin *burrionem (nominative *burrio), from Late Latin burra “flock of wool,” itself of uncertain origin. Some sources (Kitchin, Gamillscheg) say either the French word or the Vulgar Latin one is from Germanic. The English verb is perhaps instead a native development from burjoin (n.) “a bud” (c.1300), from Old French. Related: Burgeoned; burgeoning.