noun
bulb
BUHLB
noun
1
The rounded glass part of an electric light that produces light when current passes through it.
"The bulb in the hallway needs replacing."
"LED bulbs use far less electricity than old incandescent ones."
2
A rounded underground plant part, made of a short stem and layered fleshy leaves, from which a new plant grows.
"Plant the tulip bulbs in autumn for spring flowers."
How to Use Bulb
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the glass part of a lamp that lights up, or the round underground part of certain plants.
Common pairings
light bulb
plant a bulb
bulb socket
Word Forms
bulbed past tense, bulbs plural, bulbs singular
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Etymology
From Latin bulbus, "bulb, onion," from Ancient Greek bolbos, a round-stemmed plant.