: 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
In all, Francis was outside on a sunny spring day for around 50 minutes, with temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit in a piazza awash in daffodils, tulips and other flowers donated by the Netherlands for Easter.
—
Arkansas Online, 21 Apr. 2025
In all, Francis was outside on a sunny spring day for around 50 minutes, with the temperature 70 degrees in a piazza awash in daffodils, tulips and other flowers donated by the Netherlands for Easter.
—Nicole Winfield and Silvia Stellacci, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Darwin hybrids, species tulips, waterlily tulips, and Greigii tulips are among the most willing to be permanent features in your spring landscape.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2025
Gachot fills them with springtime blooms like garden tulips, cherry blossoms, poppies, daffodils, and pale pink ranunculus.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025
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Arkansas Online, 21 Apr. 2025
In all, Francis was outside on a sunny spring day for around 50 minutes, with the temperature 70 degrees in a piazza awash in daffodils, tulips and other flowers donated by the Netherlands for Easter.
—Nicole Winfield and Silvia Stellacci, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Darwin hybrids, species tulips, waterlily tulips, and Greigii tulips are among the most willing to be permanent features in your spring landscape.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2025
Gachot fills them with springtime blooms like garden tulips, cherry blossoms, poppies, daffodils, and pale pink ranunculus.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tulip
Cite this Entry
“Tulip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tulip. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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.
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