tulip

noun

tu·​lip ˈtü-ləp 

ˈtyü-

: any of a genus (Tulipa) of Eurasian bulbous herbs of the lily family that have linear or broadly lanceolate leaves and are widely grown for their showy flowers

also : the flower or bulb of a tulip

Examples of tulip in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These small but mightily independent and award-winning news shops have popped up like tulips in spring. —Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025

The petals are held tightly together so that its flower, 2-4 four inches in diameter, resembles a tulip. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 10 May 2025

Open all day and already a hit with the locals is The Court, an outdoor courtyard dressed in red-and-cream striped awnings and cheery pink tulips. —Nicole Trilivas, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2025

And despite New Yorkers’ pension for wearing all-black, floral prints, like the abstract tulips seen here, are a perennial favorite. —Alejandro Badia, Footwear News, 1 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin tulipa, from Turkish tülbent turban — more at turban

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tulip

• cottage tulip
• Darwin tulip
• tulip poplar
• tulip tree

Kids Definition

tulip

noun

tu·​lip ˈt(y)ü-ləp 

: any of a genus of Eurasian herbs that grow from bulbs, have large lance-shaped leaves, are related to the lilies, and are widely grown for their showy cup-shaped flowers

also : the flower or bulb of a tulip

Etymology

from scientific Latin tulipa "the tulip," from Turkish tülbent "tulip," literally "turban"

Word Origin

We often think of the tulip as a Dutch flower. The Dutch certainly do grow many tulips, but they first got the plant from Turkey. The Turkish word for the tulip was tülbent, meaning literally "turban." Perhaps it was the flower's shape that reminded the Turks of a turban. Or perhaps it was the bright colors and velvety petals. In any case, scientists picking a universal word for the flower chose the scientific Latin tulipa, taken from the Turkish word. The word came into English from the scientific Latin and was spelled tulip.