lotus

American  

[loh-tuhs] / ˈloʊ təs /

noun

• lotuses
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• lotuses
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of lotus

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lotus lotuses

One is a lotus made of lab-grown diamonds and a tiny gold rocket with micro-sculptures of three of India's best-known scientists.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

The landscape includes large areas of rice paddies along with lotus fields, cultivated cropland, and pastureland.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 22, 2026

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

From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026

When a strong light is trained on it, however, that image is projected onto a wall to reveal Amida standing on a lotus blossom and radiating beams of light.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2025

The lotus pads lift themselves huge out of the lake, plates for the gods.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

Spectacular celadons in forms that imitate lotuses, gourds or melons decorated with delicate inlaid and under-carved designs demonstrate peak Goryeo dynasty craftsmanship.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026

Plum blossom is a well-liked flower known in China for persevering amid harshness, while lotuses convey peace in the Chinese language.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 10, 2023

In the garden, Othoniel has suspended glass necklaces in gold on trees and centered monumental gold lotuses in reflecting pools.

From New York Times ● Oct. 7, 2021

Blooming lotuses are summer’s big draw at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, but this national park in Northeast is just as colorful in the fall, as the changing leaves are mirrored in the ponds.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 30, 2021

He felt the grooves and ridges of a carving and knew it was the lotuses on the lid.

From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook

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