Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
BLOOM
I. noun
Etymology: Middle English blome lump of metal, from Old English blōma Date: before 12th century a mass of wrought iron from the forge or puddling furnace, a bar of iron or steel hammered or rolled from an ingot,
II. noun see: blow
Date: 13th century
1. flower , the flowering state , a period of flowering , a rapid and excessive growth of a plankton population (as of algae or dinoflagellates),
2. a state or time of beauty, freshness, and vigor, a state or time of high development or achievement , a surface coating or appearance: as, a delicate powdery coating on some fruits and leaves, a rosy appearance of the cheeks, a cloudiness on a film of varnish or lacquer, a grayish discoloration on chocolate, glare caused by an object reflecting too much light into a television camera,
III. verb
Date: 13th century
intransitive verb
1. to produce or yield flowers, to support abundant plant life ,
2. a. to mature into achievement of one's potential, to flourish in youthful beauty, freshness, or excellence, to shine out ; glow , to appear or occur unexpectedly or in remarkable quantity or degree, to become densely populated with microorganisms and especially plankton, transitive verb to cause to bloom, to give bloom to