Definition of "bloomer" [bloom•er]

• A plant that blooms. (noun)
• A person who attains full maturity and competence: a late bloomer. (noun)
• Slang A blunder. (noun)
• A costume formerly worn by women and girls that was composed of loose trousers gathered about the ankles and worn under a short skirt. (noun)
• Wide, loose trousers gathered at the knee and formerly worn by women and girls as an athletic costume. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "At 6-7/187, the late bloomer is a 1988 birthdate who still must be drafted, so many teams have made special trips in to see him during the second half."
• "This late-bloomer is still gaining acceptance as an offensive force, so pardon the rest of baseball for being slow to getting around to the idea that he's a strong defender, too."
• "I am a lot of things and trans, transsexual, or late-bloomer is the least of me."