Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

buttercup

American  
[buht-er-kuhp] / ˈbʌt ərˌkʌp /

noun

  1. any of numerous plants of the genus Ranunculus, having glossy yellow flowers and deeply cut leaves.

buttercup British  
/ ˈbʌtəˌkʌp /

noun

  1. any of various yellow-flowered ranunculaceous plants of the genus Ranunculus , such as R. acris (meadow buttercup), which is native to Europe but common throughout North America See also crowfoot goldilocks spearwort lesser celandine

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of buttercup

1505–15; butter + cup, from color and shape of flower

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And nine years ago, volunteers cleared acres of nonnative, invasive Amur honeysuckle from Cincinnati park's Buttercup Valley Nature Preserve, creating fertile ground for another invasive species, Higan cherry, to take hold, he said.

From Science Daily • Dec. 1, 2023

Part of the enduring appeal of Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup lies in the dissonance between their adorable appearance and their ruthlessly tough superhuman feats.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 17, 2023

Costumes are encouraged; wear your best Princess Buttercup robes!

From Seattle Times • Aug. 15, 2023

Buttercup Primary School's head teacher, Zara Rahman, said when she heard Fatiha had been recognised for her poem, she thought "my god, it's like she's writing her own obituary".

From BBC • Dec. 13, 2021

He must be a mind reader, Buttercup thought.

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.