tulipa
tulipa Lexical Profile
• noun
A botanical genus of spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes in the lily family (Liliaceae), native to Eurasia and North Africa.
"The horticulturist spent years crossbreeding rare species within the genus Tulipa."
A plant, bulb, or flower belonging to the genus Tulipa.
"We ordered a shipment of Dutch tulipa to plant in the botanical garden's spring exhibition."
Word Nuance & Usage
In everyday English, the anglicized form 'tulip' is overwhelmingly preferred; 'tulipa' is typically reserved for strict botanical, taxonomic, or horticultural contexts, often capitalized as a genus name.
Word Origin & Etymology
From New Latin 'tulipa', borrowed from Ottoman Turkish 'tülbend' (meaning 'muslin' or 'turban', via Persian 'dulband'), reflecting the flower's turban-like shape when fully bloomed.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.