(to͞oˈlĭp, tyo͞oˈ-)
noun- Any of several bulbous plants of the genus Tulipa, native chiefly to Asia and widely cultivated for their showy, variously colored flowers.
- The flower of any of these plants.
Word History: Although we associate tulips with Holland, both the flower and its name originated in the Middle East, where both are associated with turbans. Tulips were brought to Europe in the 16th century; the word
tulip, which earlier in English appeared in such forms as
tulipa or
tulipant, came to us by way of French
tulipe and its obsolete form
tulipan or by way of Modern Latin
tulīpa, from Ottoman Turkish
tülbend, “muslin, gauze.” (Our word
turban, first recorded in English in the 16th century, can also be traced to Ottoman Turkish
tülbend.) The Turkish word for gauze, with which turbans can be wrapped, seems to have been used for the flower because a fully opened tulip was thought to resemble a turban.
