Added 9 October 2026
bulb
/ˈbʌlb/ noun
In Latin: bulbus Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about bulb at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A modified bud consisting of a thickened globular underground stem serving as a reproductive structure.
- Electric lamp consisting of a transparent or translucent glass housing containing a wire filament (usually tungsten) that emits light when heated by electricity.
-
A rounded part of a cylindrical instrument (usually at one end).
the bulb of a syringe
Origin
Inherited from Middle English bulb, bolbe, from Latin bulbus (“bulb, onion”), from Ancient Greek βολβός (bolbós, “plant with round swelling on underground stem”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)