Meaning & use
bouquet
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Meanings
nouncountable
A bunch of cut flowers arranged together, often given as a gift.
Grammar: Common patterns: a bouquet of roses; give someone a bouquet.
Patterns
- a bouquet of something
- give someone a bouquet
- carry a bouquet
He gave her a beautiful bouquet of red roses for her birthday.
The bride carried a small bouquet of white flowers.
She put the bouquet in a vase with water.
nouncountable or uncountablespecialist
The characteristic smell of a wine or other drink, especially one that has aged.
Grammar: Often used in wine descriptions: a fruity bouquet; the bouquet of the wine.
Patterns
- a bouquet of something
- the wine's bouquet
This red wine has a rich, fruity bouquet.
The bouquet of the aged whiskey was smooth and complex.
nouncountableliterary
A pleasant smell, especially of flowers or perfume.
Grammar: Literary or formal; often used for a mixture of pleasant smells.
Patterns
- a bouquet of something
The garden filled the air with a bouquet of roses and lavender.
A bouquet of spices greeted us as we entered the kitchen.
Word forms
| plural | bouquets |
|---|
Common combinations
- a bouquet of flowers
- She received a bouquet of flowers from her admirer.
- bridal bouquet
- The bridal bouquet was made of pink peonies.
- throw the bouquet
- At the wedding, the bride threw the bouquet to her friends.
- fruity bouquet
- The wine had a fruity bouquet that reminded me of berries.
- bouquet garni
- The soup was flavored with a bouquet garni of herbs.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bunch
- Bunch is a general word for a group of things held together; bouquet is specifically for cut flowers arranged nicely.
- posy
- Posy is a small bunch of flowers, often old-fashioned; bouquet can be larger and more formal.
- aroma
- Aroma is a pleasant smell, often of food or coffee; bouquet is used more for wine or flowers.
Word family
- bouquet garni noun
- A bunch of herbs tied together and used to flavor soups or stews.
Commonly confused: bouquet or boutique? bouquet or banquet?
bouquet vs boutique
Boutique is a small shop, especially for clothes; bouquet is a bunch of flowers.
bouquet vs banquet
Banquet is a large formal meal; bouquet is a bunch of flowers.
Practice
The bride carried a ____ of white roses.
Choose one answer.
A 'bouquet' is the correct word for an arrangement of cut flowers, especially for a bride. 'Boutique' is a shop, 'banquet' is a meal, and 'bunch' is possible but less specific for a formal flower arrangement.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bouquet”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.