# bulbous

/ˈbəɫbəs/ (US) · /bˈʌlbəs/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bulbous
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

round and fat like an onion or a light bulb. You use it to describe things like noses, roots, or glass that swell out in a round shape.

For teachers: swollen, rounded, and shaped like a bulb or onion, often protruding outward. In botany, growing from or producing bulbs.

## Examples

- He has a large bulbous nose.
- The gardener plants the bulbous tulips in autumn so they bloom in spring.
- Despite the frost, the bulbous roots stored enough energy to send up fresh green shoots when spring returned.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.