lotus

noun

lo·​tus ˈlō-təs 

plural lotuses also lotus

1

or less commonly lotos

ˈlō-təs 

: a fruit eaten by the lotus-eaters and considered to cause indolence and dreamy contentment

also : a tree (such as Zizyphus lotus of the buckthorn family) reputed to bear this fruit

2

: any of various water lilies including several represented in ancient Egyptian and Hindu art and religious symbolism

3

[New Latin, from Latin]

a

: any of a genus (Lotus) of widely distributed upright herbs or subshrubs of the legume family

b

: sweet clover

Illustration of lotus

• lotus 2

Examples of lotus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For a fun craft that doubles as spring décor, snap up this Lego lotus flower set. —Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026

Grand Buddha of Lingshan Rounding out this top-ten list (for now) is the Grand Buddha of Lingshan, a statue of the Buddha that stands 259 feet (79 meters) tall atop a 29-foot (9-meter) lotus pedestal. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026

Catholic Charities’ mission is symbolized in its logo, a lotus, which Worth said represents beauty growing in murky waters, comparing the flower to the work Catholic Charities does to assist people in need of housing. —Jake Ramsey, Oklahoma Watch, 4 Feb. 2026

Featuring diamonds and rubies in a lotus flower and Mughal arch motif, the tiara—which was worn once by the late Queen Elizabeth II during a trip to Malta in 2005—is the largest diadem seen on Kate to date. —Emily Chan, Vogue, 20 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin & Greek; Latin lotus, from Greek lōtos

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing lotus

• lotus-eater
• lotus position

Rhymes for lotus

• motus
• notice
• haliotis
• melilotus
• microtus
• myotis

Kids Definition

lotus

noun

lo·​tus ˈlōt-əs 

: any of various water lilies including several represented in ancient Egyptian and Hindu art