buttercup

noun

but·​ter·​cup ˈbə-tər-ˌkəp How to pronounce buttercup (audio)
plural buttercups
: any of a large genus (Ranunculus of the family Ranunculaceae, the buttercup family) of chiefly perennial herbaceous plants having colorful cup-shaped flowers with 5 or sometimes many petals : ranunculus
especially : a plant (such as R. acris and R. repens) with usually bright yellow, five-petaled flowers
The flowers …, 1 1/2-in.-wide golden buttercups set atop a green topknot of fringy leaves, are very bright and cheery in the chill of March. —Aileen Detter Rodgers
compare crowfoot, spearwort

Examples of buttercup in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
A little girl who loved green aliens, drinking pickle juice and picking buttercups in the field with her mom. — Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026 Replant desirable groundcovers to block out buttercup growth. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026 Public spaces are intimate and inviting – homely in scale and softened by a palette of sage green, buttercup yellow and an assortment of blues. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 From blazing stars and diminutive buttercups to uncultivated roses and sunflowers, the Midwest is blessed with many gorgeous native wildflowers. — Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Midwest Living, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for buttercup

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of buttercup was in 1688

Rhymes for buttercup

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Browse Nearby Words

buttercrunch lettuce
buttercup
buttercup family
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Cite this Entry

“Buttercup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buttercup. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

buttercup

noun
but·​ter·​cup ˈbət-ər-ˌkəp How to pronounce buttercup (audio)
: any of a genus of herbs having cuplike yellow flowers

More from Merriam-Webster on buttercup

Nglish: Translation of buttercup for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about buttercup

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