lotus

noun

lo·​tus ˈlō-təs 

plural lotuses also lotus

1

or less commonly lotos

ˈlō-təs 

: a fruit eaten by the lotus-eaters and considered to cause indolence and dreamy contentment

also : a tree (such as Zizyphus lotus of the buckthorn family) reputed to bear this fruit

2

: any of various water lilies including several represented in ancient Egyptian and Hindu art and religious symbolism

3

[New Latin, from Latin]

a

: any of a genus (Lotus) of widely distributed upright herbs or subshrubs of the legume family

b

: sweet clover

Illustration of lotus

• lotus 2

Examples of lotus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The pastry case in the morning had baby mooncakes ready to go in flavors of lotus ($2.95 each) and red bean paste ($2.50 each). —Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2024

Eventually, Odysseus must have the men who partake of the lotus dragged back to the ship, crying, and bound beneath its rowing benches. —Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024

Its wooden pavilions house statues of the Buddhas, while its lotus ponds and bonsai gardens create a sense of tranquility and harmony. —Livia Hengel, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024

Its owner, Matt, came to the door in his bathing suit, a tattooed sleeve of lotus flowers winding around his left arm. —Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin & Greek; Latin lotus, from Greek lōtos

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing lotus

• lotus-eater
• lotus position

Kids Definition

lotus

noun

lo·​tus ˈlōt-əs 

: any of various water lilies including several represented in ancient Egyptian and Hindu art