bulbous

adjective

bul·​bous ˈbəl-bəs 

1

: having a bulb : growing from or bearing bulbs

2

: resembling a bulb especially in roundness

a bulbous nose

bulbously adverb

Examples of bulbous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The black marine mammals with bulbous heads primarily feed on the cephalopods and some small amounts of fish. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2025

Designed by Hydro Tec, the modern, muscular exterior is characterized by a sturdy steel displacement hull, a distinctive bulbous bow, and a lightweight aluminum superstructure. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2025

Joyce's nebula scene captures the expanding shell of the supernova remnant CTB 1, also known as both the Garlic Nebula and the Medulla Nebula for its resemblance to both the bulbous plant and the human brain. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025

Meters away, two humanoid robots, with bulbous joints and expressionless plastic domes for faces, stand at a desk. —Billy Perrigo, Time, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bulbous

adjective

bulb·​ous

ˈbəl-bəs

1

: having a bulb : growing from or bearing bulbs

2

: resembling a bulb in being rounded or swollen

a bulbous nose

Medical Definition

bulbous

adjective

bul·​bous ˈbəl-bəs 

: resembling a bulb especially in roundness or the gross enlargement of a part

the bulbous expansion at the base of a hair