boutonniere

[ boot-n-eer, boo-tuhn-yair ]

noun

1. a flower or small bouquet worn, usually by a man, in the buttonhole of a lapel.

boutonniere

/ ˌbʊtɒnɪˈɛə /

noun

1. another name for buttonhole

Word History and Origins

Origin of boutonniere¹

1875–80; < French boutonnière buttonhole ( bouton button + -ière suffix for things that facilitate the use of that denoted by the stem < Latin -āria -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of boutonniere¹

C19: from French: buttonhole, from bouton button

Example Sentences

As homecomings go, it was one bloody boutonniere.

From Los Angeles Times

Sitting in his parents’ backyard in mid-May, he showed off pictures of Baby Elliott, then 9 months old, at prom the night before, wearing a tiny floral boutonniere Walton had made in an agriculture class.

From Los Angeles Times

Sean Perry was wearing a U-Va. tie, and his wife had a U-Va. boutonniere, Haggard said, as they spoke by phone.

From Washington Post

The groom, in a three-piece navy suit — also Ralph Lauren — wore a floral brooch as a boutonniere.

From Washington Post

The price also included a bouquet for Ms. Tully, who coordinates mentoring and match support at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County; a boutonniere for Mr. Sykes, an anesthesia technician at the University of Michigan Hospital; a small cake and sparkling wine, for a toast; and even a personalized keepsake.

From New York Times

Related Words

• garland
• pot
• vase
• wreath