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

Her collection, entitled Clove, incorporated botanical elements like 24-karat gold electroplated ginko leaves, lotus flowers from her mother’s garden and urban influences inspired by Seoul. —Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 8 July 2025

Each guest is served a little dish of spiced lotus nuts as a drinking snack, while the menu features chura vada pav, pani puri, and a Goan chicken curry omelette. —Jordan Michelman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 July 2025

Much like the lotus flower that lends the album its title, Lotus is about something richer and far more powerful: an expression of Simz at the height of her playful, genre-hopping power. —Liam Hess, Vogue, 9 June 2025

Ideal for gifting, the pretty packaging includes two solid pencil perfumes: Kyoto in Bloom spotlights camellia and lotus, while Midnight in Milan features saffron and rose. —Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 30 May 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