noun · verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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rhymes with -ʌlb
CMU ARPABET:B AH1 L B
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant such as a tulip, consisting of a shortened stem and many fleshy scale leaves, from which the rest of the plant may be regrown.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The medulla oblongata.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Any solid object rounded at one end and tapering on the other, possibly attached to a larger object at the tapered end.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
the bulb of the aorta
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Any solid object rounded at one end and tapering on the other, possibly attached to a larger object at the tapered end.
A light bulb (not necessarily bulbous in shape).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
an incandescent bulb
an LED bulb
a fluorescent tube bulb
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A bulbous protuberance at the forefoot of certain vessels to reduce turbulence.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
An onion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To take the shape of a bulb; to swell.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
a rounded part of a cylindrical instrument (usually at one end)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the bulb of a syringe
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: part, portion
9
noun
Meaning 9
electric lamp consisting of a transparent or translucent glass housing containing a wire filament (usually tungsten) that emits light when heated by electricity
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: light bulb, lightbulb, incandescent lamp, electric light, electric-light bulb
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: electric lamp
10
noun
Meaning 10
a rounded dilation or expansion in a canal or vessel or organ
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: structure, anatomical structure, complex body part, bodily structure, body structure
11
noun
Meaning 11
lower or hindmost part of the brain; continuous with spinal cord; (`bulb' is an old term for medulla oblongata)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the medulla oblongata is the most vital part of the brain because it contains centers controlling breathing and heart functioning
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: medulla oblongata, medulla
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: neural structure
12
noun
Meaning 12
a modified bud consisting of a thickened globular underground stem serving as a reproductive structure
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: round shape
History
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”).
Across languages
Translations
72 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
սոխուկ
(soxuk)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Armenian:
կոճղեզ
(kočġez)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Bulgarian:
лу́ковица
(lúkovica)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Catalan:
bulb
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Chinese Mandarin:
鱗莖 /鳞茎
(línjīng)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Czech:
bulva
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Czech:
hlíza
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Danish:
løg
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Dutch:
bloembol
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Esperanto:
bulbo
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Estonian:
sibul
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Finnish:
sipuli
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
French:
bulbe
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Galician:
bulbo
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Georgian:
ბოლქვი
(bolkvi)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
German:
Zwiebel
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Greek:
βολβός
(volvós)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Ancient Greek:
βολβός
(bolbós)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Hebrew:
בָּצָל
(batzál)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Hungarian:
virághagyma
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Hungarian:
gumó
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Icelandic:
laukur
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Ido:
bulbo
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Indonesian:
umbi lapis
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Ingrian:
pumppu
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Irish:
bleib
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Italian:
bulbo
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Japanese:
球根
(kyūkon)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Khmer:
មើម
(məəm)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Korean:
알뿌리
(alppuri)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Latin:
bulbus
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Macedonian:
луковица
(lukovica)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Malay:
bebawang
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Malayalam:
കിഴങ്ങ്
(kiḻaṅṅŭ)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Norwegian Bokmål:
løk
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Norwegian Nynorsk:
løk
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Occitan:
bulb
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Persian:
پیاز
(piyâz)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Polish:
cebulka
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Portuguese:
bulbo
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Rarotongan:
kiko
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Romanian:
bulb
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Russian:
лу́ковица
(lúkovica)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Sanskrit:
कन्द
(kanda)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Scottish Gaelic:
bolgan
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Serbo-Croatian:
луковица
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Serbo-Croatian:
чебуљица
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Serbo-Croatian:
lukovica
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Serbo-Croatian:
čebuljica
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Slovak:
cibuľka
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Slovene:
čebulica
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Spanish:
bulbo
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Spanish:
cabeza
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Swedish:
lök
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Ottoman Turkish:
صوغان
(soğan)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Ottoman Turkish:
بصل
(basal)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
Ukrainian:
цибу́лина
(cybúlyna)
— bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant
