tulip

noun

tu·​lip ˈtü-ləp 

ˈtyü-

: any of a genus (Tulipa) of Eurasian bulbous herbs of the lily family that have linear or broadly lanceolate leaves and are widely grown for their showy flowers

also : the flower or bulb of a tulip

Examples of tulip in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Here’s where to find the Netherlands’ most awe-inspiring tulip displays in 2025. —Chris Schalkx, AFAR Media, 14 Feb. 2025

And in the Netherlands, prolific use of antifungals on the country’s signature tulips has fostered the emergence of deadly drug-resistant fungi. —Maryn McKenna, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2025

Must have been like this in Amsterdam during the great tulip mania. —Andrew MacKie, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025

Those could have been inserted digitally, but instead Crowley enlisted Mark Eves, a farmer in Norfolk, Va., to plant 9 million tulip bulbs. —Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin tulipa, from Turkish tülbent turban — more at turban

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tulip

• cottage tulip
• Darwin tulip
• tulip poplar
• tulip tree

Kids Definition

tulip

noun

tu·​lip ˈt(y)ü-ləp 

: any of a genus of Eurasian herbs that grow from bulbs, have large lance-shaped leaves, are related to the lilies, and are widely grown for their showy cup-shaped flowers

also : the flower or bulb of a tulip

Etymology

from scientific Latin tulipa "the tulip," from Turkish tülbent "tulip," literally "turban"

Word Origin

We often think of the tulip as a Dutch flower. The Dutch certainly do grow many tulips, but they first got the plant from Turkey. The Turkish word for the tulip was tülbent, meaning literally "turban." Perhaps it was the flower's shape that reminded the Turks of a turban. Or perhaps it was the bright colors and velvety petals. In any case, scientists picking a universal word for the flower chose the scientific Latin tulipa, taken from the Turkish word. The word came into English from the scientific Latin and was spelled tulip.