French Conversation · Level 10
88 words
French word
bulbe
Pronunciation
IPA/bylb/
Meaning
- masculine nounbulb
Example
Au printemps, les bulbes fleurissent.
In spring, the bulbs bloom.
More examples
En automne, je mets en terre des bulbes.
In the fall, I plant bulbs in the ground.
Core concept
A swollen underground plant part packed with reserves for regrowth and flowering.
Common phrases
mettre en terre des bulbes
plant bulbs in the ground
acheter des bulbes
buy bulbs
un bulbe malade
a diseased bulb
Similar words
oignon: A round vegetable with layered flesh enclosed in thin skin, used in cooking.
pomme de terre: A starchy underground tuber commonly grown and eaten as a vegetable.
racine: An underground plant organ that absorbs water and nutrients from the soil.
gousse: A small section of garlic enclosed in a thin skin.
Definition in French
Partie souterraine de certaines plantes, souvent charnue, qui sert de réserve nutritive et permet la régénération de la plante ainsi que la formation de fleurs.
Word origin
The French noun bulbe developed from Latin bulbus, which was borrowed from Greek bolbos for a rounded or bulbous object.
Usage tips
- In everyday cooking, an onion is usually called an oignon, while bulbe is mainly a botanical or gardening term.