tulip

American  

[too-lip, tyoo-] / ˈtu lɪp, ˈtyu- /

noun

1. any of various plants belonging to the genus Tulipa, of the lily family, cultivated in many varieties, and having lance-shaped leaves and large, showy, usually erect, cup-shaped or bell-shaped flowers in a variety of colors.

2. a flower or bulb of such a plant.

---

tulip British  

/ ˈtjuːlɪp /

noun

1. any spring-blooming liliaceous plant of the temperate Eurasian genus Tulipa , having tapering bulbs, long broad pointed leaves, and single showy bell-shaped flowers

2. the flower or bulb of any of these plants

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tuliplike
  adjective
• tulip-like
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of tulip

1570–80; earlier tulipa < New Latin, apparently back formation from Italian tulipano (taken as adj.) < Turkish tülbent turban (from a fancied likeness); see turban

Explanation

A tulip is a flower that grows from a bulb and blooms in the spring. You might give your grandmother a big bouquet of colorful tulips on her birthday. The first tulips were cultivated in 10th-century Persia, and the word tulip stems from the Persian dulband, "turban," which tulips resemble. In the Netherlands during the 17th century, tulips became so wildly popular that the price of the bulbs grew to be approximately ten times the annual salary of a skilled artisan. This period is known as "tulip mania." During this same time, a tulip virus caused variegated, or striped, patterns to appear for the first time on tulip petals.

Example Sentences

Calvin’s theology is frequently summarized by the acronym TULIP.

From New York Times • Jan. 26, 2021