English Reference
Noun

buttercup

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈbətɝˌkəp/ UK /bˈʌtəkˌʌp/ but·ter·cup UK spelling buttercups

n.a common yellow flower with a soft, round center that you can pop. It is often found in grassy fields and is popular in children's gardens.

n.a common wildflower of the genus Ranunculus, typically characterized by bright yellow petals and a soft, spongy center. Often used in informal contexts to refer to the plant or its flowers.


SIMPLE

The children picked a buttercup from the field.

CONTEXTUAL

We spent the afternoon picking buttercups and daisies to make a bouquet for the kitchen table.

COMPLEX

While the buttercup is often dismissed as a common weed, it serves as a vital nectar source for early-season pollinators in the spring.

It sits beside a yard overgrown with stinging nettle and creeping buttercup, but its former status as an entrance of sorts is still clear.

JSTOR Daily· 13 May 2026

From butter + cup. Both sense 1 and 2 are from the flowers' association with butter, from their yellow colour. Compare butterflower for a similar derivation; outside of English, compare Dutch boterbloem, German Butterblume.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated