bulb

CEFRB1

/ˈbʌlb/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A glass object that produces light when connected to electricity.

  2. 02

    noun

    A rounded underground plant part that grows into a new plant.

Examples

  • A small, naked bulb gave the only illumination.

  • Edison invented the light bulb.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
2

Also pronounced

  • /ˈbʌb/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. Any solid object rounded at one end and tapering on the other, possibly attached to a larger object at the tapered end.

  2. The medulla oblongata.

  3. The bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant such as a tulip, consisting of a shortened stem and many fleshy scale leaves, from which the rest of the plant may be regrown.

More examples

In context

  • Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.

  • the bulb of the aorta

  • an incandescent bulb

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

When the light blank exploded, the room suddenly became pitch black and everyone froze in surprise.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

Inherited from Middle English bulb, bolbe, from Latin bulbus (“bulb, onion”), from Ancient Greek βολβός (bolbós, “plant with round swelling on underground stem”).