ranunculus

noun

ra·​nun·​cu·​lus rə-ˈnəŋ-kyə-ləs 

plural ranunculus or ranunculuses or ranunculi rə-ˈnəŋ-kyə-ˌlī 

-ˌlē

: any of a large genus (Ranunculus of the family Ranunculaceae, the buttercup family) of chiefly perennial herbaceous plants with tuberous or fibrous roots and typically yellow, five-petaled, cup-shaped flowers and including one (R. asiaticus) of southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia widely cultivated for its white, yellow, pink, red, or orange flowers having multiple layers of petals see buttercup, lesser celandine

Examples of ranunculus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Out of all of her spring blooms, Gaines had a soft spot for the delicate ranunculus. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Mar. 2025

Gently stick the flowers (dahlias, ranunculus, and poinsettias) into flower frogs and arrange them in the vessel. —Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2024

Upstairs, two candlelit rooms were set with four tables, each dressed with porcelain vases brimming with sweet peas and ranunculus. —Chloe Malle, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2025

The 80 million vibrant ranunculus are blooming early this year because of the mild winter, and April will be the peak, the Union-Tribune reports. —Kate Murphy, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, from diminutive of rana frog

First Known Use

1543, in the meaning defined above