1. (Bot.) A spheroidal body growing from a plant either above or below the ground which is strictly a
bud, consisting of a cluster of partially developed leaves, and producing, as it grows, a stem above, and
roots below, as in the onion, tulip, etc. It differs from a corm in not being solid.
2. (Anat.) A name given to some parts that resemble in shape certain bulbous roots; as, the bulb of
the aorta.
Bulb of the eye,
the eyeball. — Bulb of a hair, the "root," or part whence the hair originates. —
Bulb of the spinal cord, the medulla oblongata, often called simply bulb. — Bulb of a tooth, the
vascular and nervous papilla contained in the cavity of the tooth.
3. An expansion or protuberance on a stem or tube, as the bulb of a thermometer, which may be of any
form, as spherical, cylindrical, curved, etc. Tomlinson.
Bulb
(Bulb), v. i. To take the shape of a bulb; to swell.
Bulbaceous
(Bul*ba"ceous) a. [L. bulbaceus. See Bulb, n.] Bulbous. Jonson.
Bulbar
(Bulb"ar) a. Of or pertaining to bulb; especially, in medicine, pertaining to the bulb of the spinal
cord, or medulla oblongata; as, bulbar paralysis.
Bulbed
(Bulbed) a. Having a bulb; round- headed.
Bulbel
(Bulb"el) n. [Dim., fr. bulb, n.] (Bot.) A separable bulb formed on some flowering plants.
Bulbiferous
(Bul*bif"er*ous) a. [Bulb,n.+ -ferous: cf. F. bulbifère.] (Bot.) Producing bulbs.
Bulblet
(Bulb"let) n. [Bulb,n.+ -let.] (Bot.) A small bulb, either produced on a larger bulb, or on some
aërial part of a plant, as in the axils of leaves in the tiger lily, or replacing the flowers in some kinds of
onion.
Bulbose
(Bul*bose") a. Bulbous.
Bulbo-tuber
(Bul"bo-tu`ber) n. [Bulb,n.+ tuber.] (Bot.) A corm.
Bulbous
(Bulb"ous) a. [L. bulbosus: cf. F. bulbeux. See Bulb, n.] Having or containing bulbs, or a
bulb; growing from bulbs; bulblike in shape or structure.
Bulbul
(||Bul"bul) n. [Per.] (Zoöl.) The Persian nightingale (Pycnonotus jocosus). The name is also
applied to several other Asiatic singing birds, of the family Timaliidæ. The green bulbuls belong to the
Chloropsis and allied genera. [Written also buhlbuhl.]
Bulbule
(Bul"bule) n. [L. bulbulus, dim. of bulbus. See Bulb, n.] A small bulb; a bulblet.
Bulchin
(Bul"chin) n. [Dim. of bull.] A little bull.
Bulge
(Bulge) n. [OE. bulge a swelling; cf. AS. belgan to swell, OSw. bulgja, Icel. bolginn swollen,
OHG. belgan to swell, G. bulge leathern sack, Skr. bh to be large, strong; the root meaning to swell.
Cf. Bilge, Belly, Billow, Bouge, n.]
1. The bilge or protuberant part of a cask.
2. A swelling, protuberant part; a bending outward, esp. when caused by pressure; as, a bulge in a wall.
3. (Naut.) The bilge of a vessel. See Bilge, 2.
Bulge ways.
(Naut.) See Bilge ways.