bulbous
Americanadjective
-
shaped like a bulb; swollen; bulging
-
growing from or bearing bulbs
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of bulbous
From the Latin word bulbōsus, dating back to 1570–80. See bulb, -ous
Explanation
Something that's bulbous is round or bulging. If you hit your head on the edge of your locker, you may end up with a tender, bulbous lump. While anything that has the shape of a bulb — like an onion or a light bulb — can be described as bulbous, it almost always describes someone's nose. It's not very nice to tell your friend he has a bulbous nose, though it may be accurate. You can also call a plant bulbous if it's grown from a bulb. This is the earliest, 16th century use of the word, while the "bulb-shaped" meaning came along about 200 years later.
Vocabulary lists containing bulbous
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
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The Dragonet Prophecy
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The Maze Runner
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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.
Her name is Olivia Miles and, in a pair of heavy, bulbous, delightfully old-school glasses, the Minnesota Lynx guard has emerged from the WNBA’s summer of chaos to become the league’s best rookie in years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
It featured floral motifs on fabrics or as accessories, while sculptural bulbous dresses were inspired by the work of Kenya-born ceramicist Magdelene Odundo.
From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026
They’re uncomfortably wedged into black dress shoes, with bulbous flesh spilling out over the edges.
From Slate ● Jul. 18, 2025
Where there used to be rusting rolling stock and derelict sidings, there is now a swish shopping centre, smart restaurants and the oddly bulbous, 42-storey Belgrade Tower.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2025
Chloe and I go to a field near a big, bulbous discharge facility, and I try painting the landscape in fall.
From "Landscape with Invisible Hand" by M.T. Anderson
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.
