bud

1 of 2

noun

1
: a small lateral or terminal protuberance on the stem of a plant that may develop into a flower, leaf, or shoot
2
: something not yet mature or at full development: such as
a
: an incompletely opened flower
b
c(1)
: an outgrowth of an organism that differentiates into a new individual : gemma
(2)
: an outgrowth having the potential to differentiate and grow into a definitive organ or part : primordium
an embryonic limb bud
3
: buddy
4
slang : marijuana
The dance floor is packed. Red and blue lights filter through cigarette and bud smoke.T-Love

bud

2 of 2

verb

budded; budding

intransitive verb

1
of a plant
a
: to set or put forth buds
b
: to commence growth from buds
2
: to grow or develop from or as if from a bud
3
: to reproduce asexually especially by the pinching off of a small part of the parent

transitive verb

1
: to produce or develop from buds
2
: to cause (a plant) to bud
3
: to insert a bud from a plant of one kind into an opening in the bark of (a plant of another kind) usually in order to propagate a desired variety
budder noun
Phrases
in the bud
: in an early stage of development
nipped the rebellion in the bud

Examples of bud in a Sentence

Noun The bush has plenty of buds but no flowers yet. that sitcom star is still a bud, so all he needs right now are looks and personality Verb The trees budded early this spring.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
More recently, hop farms grew in popularity in the early 2000s as farmers began to utilize the vines' buds for flavoring alcohol during the distilling process, and wild purple flowers found in Michigan fields are the perfect addition to salads. Detroit Free Press, 14 Mar. 2024 See What Was Inside the Oscars Snack Boxes — Complete with a Cheeky Note from Host Jimmy Kimmel Alba made a glittery entrance in a Tamara Ralph metallic sequin gown with romantic off-the-shoulder sleeves and rosette buds along a plunging neckline and silhouette. Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 The buds that did emerge were, like the ones in the Northeast, killed by a cold snap in the early spring. Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 The root buds around the edge of the stem should be visible. Grace Haynes, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2024 Fact — there’s nothing cuter than a dog in a party hat hanging with his tail-wagging best buds, and Doggie Bag Cafe & Pet Boutique will throw your dog a bash to remember. Angela Caraway-Carlton, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 Watch for peach and apple and plum trees to bud and bloom. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024 The Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang, which independently estimates peak bloom, predicted that the buds will reach their peak between March 19 and 23, about 10 days earlier than normal. Karina Elwood, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 Urging your best bud not to waste tears over a jerk who cheated, say, or a workaholic who couldn’t even send a happy birthday text might seem like a reassuring reality check. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 28 Feb. 2024
Verb
Aztecs update: This is a slight twist on a budding Mountain West tournament rivalry. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 The Magic Mike star's budding romance comes amid his divorce from Vergara, 51. Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 The secret is a small budding plant called hop, a plant of which Michigan was once a top producer. Detroit Free Press, 14 Mar. 2024 Except for a number in which teenager Allie and Noah (Jordan Tyson and John Cardoza) first see each other undressed, the lyrics are vague and humorless, often budding with clichés the book is trying to prune. Jesse Green, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Every week, the duo must complete a high-risk mission while also navigating a budding romance between them. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024 Talk of a budding romance began after Streep and Short were seated together at the 2024 Golden Globes. Hanna Lustig, Glamour, 23 Feb. 2024 Marmol will also have the responsibility of guiding the careers and growth of young, budding stars, including Jordan Walker, and Masyn Winn. Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 To some observers, the Guy/Ingram tour pairing represented a symbolic and literal passing of the torch: a veteran blues master handing the baton to a budding young blues master following closely in his footsteps. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bud.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English budde

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bud was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near bud

Cite this Entry

“Bud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bud. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bud

1 of 2 noun
1
: a small growth at the tip or on the side of a plant stem that later develops into a flower, leaf, or new shoot
2
: a flower that has not fully opened
3
: a part that grows out from the body of a plant or animal and develops into a new individual
4
: a stage in which something is not yet fully developed
trees in bud
a plan still in the bud

bud

2 of 2 verb
budded; budding
1
: to set or put forth buds
2
: to be or develop like a bud (as in freshness and promise of growth)
a budding diplomat
3
: to reproduce by the pinching off of a small part of the parent
budding yeast cells
4
: to insert a bud from one plant into an opening cut in the bark of (another plant) in order to grow a desired variety

Medical Definition

bud

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: an asexual reproductive structure
b
: a primordium having potentialities for growth and development into a definitive structure
an embryonic limb bud
a horn bud
2
: an anatomical structure (as a tactile corpuscle) resembling a bud

bud

2 of 2 intransitive verb
budded; budding
: to reproduce asexually especially by the pinching off of a small part of the parent

More from Merriam-Webster on bud

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!