ranunculus

ra·nun·cu·lus  (r-nngky-ls)

n. pl. ra·nun·cu·lus·es or ra·nun·cu·li (-l)

Any of numerous plants of the genus Ranunculus, including the buttercups.

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[New Latin Rnunculus, genus name, from Latin rnunculus, a kind of medicinal plant, diminutive of rna, frog, perhaps of imitative origin.]

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ranunculus

Noun

pl -luses or -li a genus of plants including the buttercup [Latin rana frog]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

Ranunculus - annual, biennial or perennial herbs: buttercup; crowfoot genus Ranunculus magnoliid dicot genus - genus of dicotyledonous flowering plants regarded as among the most primitive of extant angiosperms buttercup family, crowfoot family, family Ranunculaceae, Ranunculaceae - a family of Ranunculaceae butter-flower, buttercup, butterflower, crowfoot, goldcup, kingcup - any of various plants of the genus Ranunculus Ranunculus aquatilis, water buttercup, water crowfoot - plant of ponds and slow streams having submerged and floating leaves and white flowers; Europe and North America lesser celandine, pilewort, Ranunculus ficaria - perennial herb native to Europe but naturalized elsewhere having heart-shaped leaves and yellow flowers resembling buttercups; its tuberous roots have been used as a poultice to relieve piles lesser spearwort, Ranunculus flammula - semiaquatic Eurasian perennial crowfoot with leaves shaped like spears; naturalized in New Zealand Ranunculus glaberrimus, sagebrush buttercup - small early-flowering buttercup with shiny yellow flowers of western North America greater spearwort, Ranunculus lingua - semiaquatic European crowfoot with leaves shaped like spears