bulbous

adjective

bul·​bous ˈbəl-bəs 

1

: having a bulb : growing from or bearing bulbs

2

: resembling a bulb especially in roundness

a bulbous nose

bulbously adverb

Examples of bulbous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The ground shook beneath them and a giant face suddenly loomed above, its bulbous eyes inches from their bodies. — Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

Everyone is bulbous, stringy, or malformed. — Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026

The Pikachu — in all his tiny, yellow, bulbous glory — sitting next to the cameras is part of the reason the Angels have won some games lately. — Liana Handler follow, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

While the design was certainly understated, there was a touch of whimsy in the bulbous light fixtures and swirly, contemporary art pieces. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bulbous

adjective

bulb·​ous

ˈbəl-bəs

1

: having a bulb : growing from or bearing bulbs

2

: resembling a bulb in being rounded or swollen

a bulbous nose

Medical Definition

bulbous

adjective

bul·​bous ˈbəl-bəs 

: resembling a bulb especially in roundness or the gross enlargement of a part

the bulbous expansion at the base of a hair