ranunculus

noun

ra·​nun·​cu·​lus rə-ˈnəŋ-kyə-ləs 

plural ranunculus or ranunculuses or ranunculi rə-ˈnəŋ-kyə-ˌlī 

-ˌlē

: any of a large genus (Ranunculus of the family Ranunculaceae, the buttercup family) of chiefly perennial herbaceous plants with tuberous or fibrous roots and typically yellow, five-petaled, cup-shaped flowers and including one (R. asiaticus) of southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia widely cultivated for its white, yellow, pink, red, or orange flowers having multiple layers of petals see buttercup, lesser celandine

Examples of ranunculus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Starting in March and lasting for 10 weeks, 55 acres of blooming ranunculus – approximately 80 million flowers – explode with color. —Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026

Visitors can stroll through acres of giant Tecolote ranunculus or take in the blooms from a tractor wagon. —Martina Schimitschek, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026

However, ranunculus can be sensitive to heat and humidity. —Haniya Rae, Martha Stewart, 5 Mar. 2026

The ranch includes a variety of different types of flowers, including giant Tecolote ranunculus, which come in 13 colors. —Kara Finnstrom, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, from diminutive of rana frog

First Known Use

1543, in the meaning defined above