Fleury

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A design characterized by a repetition of stylized floral shapes is often found in heraldry and ornamentation
2. This concept represents a graphic style that incorporates intricate flower patterns, particularly in artistry and decoration
3. A decorative motif featuring flowing, stylized flowers is commonly utilized in artistic designs and heraldic symbols

Etymology: "Fleury" is an alternative spelling of "flory," the heraldic term for a cross or other charge whose ends are decorated with fleurs-de-lis, or more loosely, decorated with flowers. It comes from French "fleuri," meaning "covered with flowers," which is the past participle of "fleurir," "to flower" or "to bloom." The French verb "fleurir" is the same root that gives English "flourish," so the two words are close cousins. "Flourish" came into English through Old French "florir," from Latin "florere," while "fleury" kept the French spelling and form, carrying the sense of something already in full bloom. In heraldry, that flowered quality is what makes the word useful: a cross described as fleury is ornamented at its arms' ends rather than left plain.

Synonyms: floral, flowered