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

Public spaces are intimate and inviting – homely in scale and softened by a palette of sage green, buttercup yellow and an assortment of blues. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

From blazing stars and diminutive buttercups to uncultivated roses and sunflowers, the Midwest is blessed with many gorgeous native wildflowers. —Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Midwest Living, 20 Apr. 2026

The most effective method of control is using a herbicide in the spring that kills broadleaf weeds before creeping buttercup forms seeds. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026

Part of the buttercup family, these blooms are deer-resistant and multiply more and more every year. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 31 Mar. 2026

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