bulb
BUHLB
Bulb (noun) means the rounded glass part of an electric light that produces light when current passes through it. Example: “The bulb in the hallway needs replacing.”
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."
"She screwed a new bulb into the lamp beside her bed."
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."
"Daffodils grow from a bulb that rests underground through the winter."
"Cut the onion in half to see the layers of the bulb."
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
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Word forms
- Plural
- bulbs
- Third person singular
- bulbs
- Past tense
- bulbed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ in the hallway needs replacing.
Etymology
From Latin bulbus, "bulb, onion," from Ancient Greek bolbos, a round-stemmed plant.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “bulb” mean?
The word “bulb” means the rounded glass part of an electric light that produces light when current passes through it. In plain terms, either the glass part of a lamp that lights up, or the round underground part of certain plants.
How do you pronounce “bulb”?
“Bulb” is pronounced BUHLB (/ˈbʌlb/ in IPA).
How do you use “bulb” in a sentence?
Here is “bulb” used in a sentence: “The bulb in the hallway needs replacing.”
What part of speech is “bulb”?
“Bulb” is a noun.
Where does the word “bulb” come from?
The word “bulb” comes from Ancient Greek. From Latin bulbus, "bulb, onion," from Ancient Greek bolbos, a round-stemmed plant.
Is “bulb” a common word?
“Bulb” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “bulb” have?
“Bulb” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the rounded glass part of an electric light that produces light when current passes through it.
Is it "light bulb" or "lightbulb"?
Both forms are used: "light bulb" as two words is the more traditional style, while "lightbulb" as one word is increasingly common, especially in American English. Either way, it refers to the rounded glass part of an electric light that produces light when current passes through it.
What is the difference between a bulb and a corm or tuber?
A bulb is a rounded underground plant part made of a short stem and layered fleshy leaves, from which a new plant grows, while a corm is a solid, swollen stem base without that layered structure, and a tuber, like a potato, is a swollen underground stem or root that stores food.
What is the difference between LED and incandescent light bulbs?
An incandescent bulb produces light by heating a filament until it glows, while an LED bulb produces light through a semiconductor and uses far less energy. Both are still bulbs in the sense of producing light when current passes through them.
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