bulbous

adjective

bul·bous ˈbəl-bəs

Synonyms of bulbous

: having a bulb : growing from or bearing bulbs

: resembling a bulb especially in roundness

a bulbous nose

bulbously adverb

Examples of bulbous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Olivia Miles, the rookie point guard for the Minnesota Lynx, wears a pair of bug-eyed sports goggles, black and bulbous, sometimes held in place by a thick strap that runs through her luxuriant Afro. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 The boat falls into a sewer, and, as the boy goes to retrieve it, a face appears out of darkness—a clown, with spotless, uncanny white skin, a bulbous red nose, and untamed red hair. — Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026 The buds are fairly typical, with a bulbous driver housing and an extended stem that sits outside the ear. — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026 The bulbous growths on the ends of the mycelia burst, releasing even more spores into the air to infect even more unsuspecting ants. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bulbous

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of bulbous was in 1578

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bulbous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bulbous. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bulbous

adjective

bulb·ous

ˈbəl-bəs

: having a bulb : growing from or bearing bulbs

: 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

bulbous

adjective

Examples of bulbous in a Sentence

Word History

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Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

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