US /ˈbʌlb/
noun Freq #9500

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    The glass part of an electric lamp that gives out light

    The bulb in the hallway has burned out and needs replacing.

  2. 2
    noun

    The round underground part of some plants, from which the plant grows

    We planted tulip bulbs in the garden last autumn.

  3. 3
    noun

    The rounded part at the end of a tube or instrument

    You squeeze the rubber bulb of the syringe to push the liquid out.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · the glass part of an... light bulblightbulb
Word family
Forms bulbousbulbs
Derived forms bulb-outbulbarbulbectomybulbheadbulbheadedbulbitisbulblessbulbletbulblikebulboidbulbophilebulby
Related forms bulbiferousbulbilbulbous

Etymology

Etymology tree Ancient Greek βολβός (bolbós)bor. Latin bulbusder. English bulb Inherited from Middle English bulb, bolbe, from Latin bulbus (“bulb, onion”), from Ancient Greek βολβός (bolbós, “plant with round swelling on underground stem”).

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