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

"In a sport once seen as unpopular and overlooked, it feels as if a lotus has truly blossomed."

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

An even older icon awaits at Phnom Penh, a 40-year-old Vietnamese-Cambodian restaurant where crowds eagerly wait their turn to try nearly-raw marinated butter beef and lotus root sautéed with chilies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 27, 2025

It’s beautifully decorated, with colored glasses, a striking mural, and umbrellas, lanterns, and floating bamboo lotus hanging from the ceiling.

From Salon • Oct. 31, 2025

Soon after, Greene’s work filled nearly every room of his former Rancho Palos Verdes home: lamps, shelves, an altar, an armoire adorned with a lotus flower.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 21, 2025

When the girls finished their lesson, the petals of the lotus closed over Urvashi and she floated back to the heavens.

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi