noun
bulb
A rounded, swollen structure.
The gardener plants a tulip bulb beneath the loose soil.
Etymology
The Greek word names an onion or plant bulb. Its rounded, swollen form supplied a broader name for similarly shaped structures in other settings.
More examples
- Squeeze the rubber bulb to draw liquid into the dropper.
- The thermometer's bulb contains the liquid that rises with heat.
- Several onion bulbs sprouted green leaves in storage.
Forms
bulb · bulbs
Similar words
- swelling
- Any enlargement, while bulb often names a distinct rounded part.