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

Behind the glass sat a sea-foam green Hermes 3000, a pre-1966 model, instantly recognizable by its bulbous body and soft, swelling curves. —Literary Hub, 2 June 2026

Everyone is bulbous, stringy, or malformed. —Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026

Bluebells These bulbous spring flowers are common in gardens and the woods, but are dangerous to dogs. —Amy Deyoung, USA Today, 28 May 2026

Before 2014, bull kelp—a whip-like kelp with bulbous air bladders and trailing blades —stretched across Northern California’s coastline in dense tangles. —Tatjana Baleta, Time, 28 May 2026

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