buttercup

noun

but·​ter·​cup ˈbə-tər-ˌkəp 

plural buttercups

: 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

Image Hepatica, a relative of the buttercup, comes up first in that northern clime. —Walker Mimms, New York Times, 15 May 2025

Silver buttercups, cow parsley and strawberry leaves fill a vase, while branches of apple blossom and Scots pine shed petals and pines, like a Dutch still life in precious metal. —Kate Matthams, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025

Ranunculus flowers, also known as Persian buttercups, are native to Turkey but have been grown along the northern San Diego County coast for at least 90 years, Times reporter Christopher Reynolds wrote. —Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2025

The park’s rolling hills become dotted with poppies, buttercups and blue lupines in March and April. —Allison Palmer, Sacramento Bee, 12 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for buttercup

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

buttercup

noun

but·​ter·​cup ˈbət-ər-ˌkəp 

: any of a genus of herbs having cuplike yellow flowers