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

The night’s decor, according to a statement from The White House, included cherry blossoms in the White House’s grand foyer as well as tablescapes of seasonal blooms of lilac, butterfly ranunculus, phlox, and lily of the valley. —Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026

Inside, trees and greenery evoked English gardens while the tables were decorated with spring blooms of lilac, butterfly ranunculus, phlox, and lily of the valley. —Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026

Bouquets of lilac, butterfly ranunculus, phlox and lily of the valley filled the center of the table like a garden. —Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026

Here, a metal caddy holds a collection of green bottles filled with orange ranunculus stems and purple pincushion flowers. —Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, from diminutive of rana frog

First Known Use

1543, in the meaning defined above