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

The dress, in a shade of plum purple, featured an array of flowers including tulips, daffodils and honeysuckle. —Julia Teti, WWD, 6 Aug. 2024

His set of flowers that will grace this year’s stamp release, and their denomination, will be tulips (1 and 5 cents), daffodils (2 cents), peonies (3 cents) and echinacea and matilija poppies (10 cents). —Pj Bremier, The Mercury News, 22 July 2024

Parrot tulips bloom a little later than many others, extending the color in your tulip bed. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Oct. 2024

Out in the street, rain had begun for real, a rain that would turn overnight into ice and raze back all the tender new green that had emerged, leave the tulip blossoms withered brown twists on the stem. —Lauren Groff, The Atlantic, 28 Sep. 2024

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.