bulbous

adjective

bul·​bous ˈbəl-bəs 

1

: having a bulb : growing from or bearing bulbs

2

: resembling a bulb especially in roundness

a bulbous nose

bulbously adverb

Examples of bulbous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Both are bulbous tropical plants that bloom in winter in the northern hemisphere, and both are poisonous if ingested. —Dr. Nick Goltz, Hartford Courant, 21 Dec. 2024

This is because a button nose, described as a small, rounded nose, accentuates the shape of the bulbous tip. —India Espy-Jones, Essence, 17 Dec. 2024

Kingsnorth hand-painted the leather upholstery in earthy shades of green and brown, and the effect of the patchwork construction and uneven, bulbous surface look like stitched skin. —Morgan Meier, Curbed, 14 Dec. 2024

Image The island is home to some of the most iconic, and unusual, mammals on earth, species like orangutans, pygmy elephants and proboscis monkeys with their bulbous noses. —Mihir Zaveri, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bulbous

adjective

bulb·​ous

ˈbəl-bəs

1

: having a bulb : growing from or bearing bulbs

2

: resembling a bulb in being rounded or swollen

a bulbous nose

Medical Definition

bulbous

adjective

bul·​bous ˈbəl-bəs 

: resembling a bulb especially in roundness or the gross enlargement of a part

the bulbous expansion at the base of a hair