buttercup

noun

but·ter·cup | \ ˈbə-tər-ˌkəp

plural buttercups

Definition of buttercup

: any of a large genus (Ranunculus of the family Ranunculaceae, the buttercup family) of chiefly perennial herbaceous plants having colorful cup-shaped flowers with 5 or sometimes many petals : ranunculus especially : a plant (such as R. acris and R. repens) with usually bright yellow, five-petaled flowers The flowers …, 1 1/2-in.-wide golden buttercups set atop a green topknot of fringy leaves, are very bright and cheery in the chill of March. — Aileen Detter Rodgers — compare crowfoot, spearwort

Examples of buttercup in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Similar in shape to a butternut (but about half the size), this hybrid is a cross between a butternut and a buttercup. — Jeanmarie Brownson, chicagotribune.com, "Loading up on squash in all its varieties? You’ll want some new recipes.," 30 Oct. 2020 The backdrop to those videos—two elegant walls of cabinetry drenched in Farrow & Ball's Babouche, a warm buttercup—is at once warm and playful, an apt backdrop to Sheehan's sunny disposition. — Amanda Sims Clifford, House Beautiful, "Inside a Bold, Yellow Home Kitchen That's Basically a Bakery," 17 Nov. 2020 This diverse group of fruits of various members of the gourd family come in all shapes, sizes, color and patterns, including pumpkins, butternut, Hubbard, spaghetti, acorn and buttercup. — Jeanmarie Brownson, chicagotribune.com, "Loading up on squash in all its varieties? You’ll want some new recipes.," 30 Oct. 2020 Just think about the peel — some, such as the buttercup, have peels tender enough to eat cooked. — Jeanmarie Brownson, chicagotribune.com, "Loading up on squash in all its varieties? You’ll want some new recipes.," 30 Oct. 2020 The notable floor-length buttercup-yellow shearling with fringe at the bottom has graced many fall magazine pages—most notably on Rihanna twirling that fringe on the cover of Harper's BAZAAR's September issue. — Harper's BAZAAR, "Hailey Bieber Just Wore the Bottega Veneta Coat of the Season," 19 Oct. 2020 Her buttercup satin gown sealed the deal, making Matthew McConaughey’s Benjamin Barry fall in love with her. — Georgia Murray, refinery29.com, "The Irresistible Appeal Of A Yellow Dress," 26 May 2020 At Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, an ethereal cloud of sherbet lemon organza; at Richard Quinn, a gargantuan buttercup rosette. — Georgia Murray, refinery29.com, "The Irresistible Appeal Of A Yellow Dress," 26 May 2020 The buttercups can be treated as annuals or perennials and do well in the South (particularly Louisiana and Texas), where winters are mild. — Southern Living, "We're Swooning Over Ranunculus," 1 May 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'buttercup.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.