Floruit ( /ˈflɔərjʉ.ɪt/ or /ˈflɒrʉ.ɪt/), abbreviated fl. (or occasionally flor.), is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something (such as a person, school, movement, or species) was active. In English, the word is also occasionally used as a noun indicating the timeframe in which someone "flourished".[1]
Broadly, the term is employed in reference to the peak of activity for a person, movement, etc.[2] More specifically, it is often used in genealogy and historical writing when a person's birth or death dates are unknown, but some other evidence exists that indicates when he or she was alive.[2] For example, if there are wills attested by John Jones in 1204, 1207 and 1229, and a record of his marriage in 1197, a record concerning him might be written as "John Jones (fl. 1197–1229)". It is used in art history when dating the career of an artist. In this context, it specifically denotes the period of the individual's artistic activity, not just the known existence of the artist.[3]
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