lotus

American  

[loh-tuhs] / ˈloʊ təs /

noun

plural

lotuses

1. a plant believed to be a jujube or elm, referred to in Greek legend as yielding a fruit that induced a state of dreamy and contented forgetfulness in those who ate it.

2. the fruit itself.

3. any aquatic plant of the genus Nelumbo, of the water lily family, having shieldlike leaves and showy, solitary flowers usually projecting above the water.

4. any of several water lilies of the genus Nymphaea.

5. a decorative motif derived from such a plant and used widely in ancient art, as on the capitals of Egyptian columns.

6. any shrubby plant of the genus Lotus, of the legume family, having red, pink, yellow, or white flowers.

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lotus British  

/ ˈləʊtəs /

noun

1. (in Greek mythology) a fruit that induces forgetfulness and a dreamy languor in those who eat it

2. the plant bearing this fruit, thought to be the jujube, the date, or any of various other plants

3. any of several water lilies of tropical Africa and Asia, esp the white lotus ( Nymphaea lotus ), which was regarded as sacred in ancient Egypt

4. a similar plant, Nelumbo nucifera, which is the sacred lotus of India, China, and Tibet and also sacred in Egypt: family Nelumbonaceae

5. a representation of such a plant, common in Hindu, Buddhist, and ancient Egyptian carving and decorative art

6. any leguminous plant of the genus Lotus, of the Old World and North America, having yellow, pink, or white pealike flowers

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Etymology

Origin of lotus

1530–40; < Latin lōtus, lōtos < Greek lōtós the lotus plant, perhaps of Semitic origin

Example Sentences

"There is a Buddhist saying that the lotus blooms from the mud," Lee said.

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

I used shards from bowls and my end product looked like a lotus flower, a thing I did not realize until someone pointed it out.

From Salon • Nov. 25, 2025

Mountain yam, bamboo pith and shoots, lotus seeds and gorgon fruit, which Yin says “looks like chickpeas, and tastes like tapioca,” all appear on his menu, too.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 18, 2025

The event is timed with the blooming of the lake’s iconic lotus flowers, which was once the largest outside Asia.

From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2025

Even the painted lotus flowers on the back panel had been clawed by the thorns.

From "Rickshaw Girl" by Mitali Perkins