lotus

IPA/ˈləʊtəs/
KK[lˈotəs]IPA/ˈləʊtəs/

lotus — noun

  • lotussingular
  • lotusesplural

1. A plant that grows in lakes and ponds, with broad round leaves that rest flat on

1.nounB1
Definition

A plant that grows in lakes and ponds, with broad round leaves that rest flat on the water's surface and large flowers whose petals spread out in layers around a central cone. The lotus is native to warm parts of Africa and Asia and is regarded as sacred in Buddhism and Hinduism.

Example

Every summer, the pond near Adisa's house is covered with pink lotus flowers.

collocation: pink lotus / lotus flowers

In many temple courtyards across Taiwan, visitors can see lotus plants growing in stone pools.

lotus as temple/cultural symbol in Asia

Common collocations
  • lotus flower
  • lotus leaf
  • lotus pond
  • pink lotus
  • white lotus
  • sacred lotus
  • lotus position
Synonyms
  • water lily

    A broader term that includes several related plants; lotus refers specifically to the genus Nelumbo, whose flowers rise above the water and whose seed pod is cone-shaped.

Grammar Patterns

lotus + noun (e.g. lotus flower, lotus leaf)

Usage Note

Often used in religious and artistic contexts — the lotus appears frequently in Buddhist and Hindu iconography, as well as in traditional East Asian art and poetry.

2. In ancient Greek stories, a fruit that causes anyone who eats it to feel peacefu

2.nounB2
Definition

In ancient Greek stories, a fruit that causes anyone who eats it to feel peacefully lazy, lose all desire to travel or work, and forget about returning home.

Example

In the Odyssey, sailors who ate the lotus lost all wish to return home.

mythological reference: Homer's Odyssey

The poet described the sweet lotus as a source of dreamy forgetfulness.

literary/poetic use

Common collocations
  • lotus fruit
  • lotus-eater
  • the lotus of Greek myth
  • the Homeric lotus

Grammar Patterns

the lotus (fruit)

Usage Note

Nearly always refers to the specific fruit from Greek mythology, not to the plant in sense 1. The phrase 'lotus-eater' (or 'lotophagi') may be used to describe someone who leads a lazy, pleasure-seeking life.

Common Mistakes

The lotus in the pond made me feel relaxed.
The atmosphere on the island reminded me of the lotus from Greek myth.
The plant sense does not carry the mythological meaning of dreamy laziness.

Word family

  • lotus-eater
    nounC2
  • lotus-like
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While 'lotus' and 'water lily' are often used interchangeably in casual conversation, they refer to different plant genera. The true lotus (genus Nelumbo) has flowers and leaves that rise above the water, a distinctive cone-shaped seed pod, and is the plant depicted in Buddhist and Hindu art. Water lilies (genus Nymphaea) have flowers and leaves that float directly on the water's surface and lack the prominent seed pod. 'Sacred lotus' is a common name for Nelumbo nucifera, the species most associated with religious symbolism in Asia. In a garden centre, a plant labelled 'water lily' is almost certainly not a true lotus.

water lilyNelumbosacred lotus

Common collocations

Phrases

  • lotus position
  • lotus-eater
  • sacred lotus

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

The word comes from Latin 'lotus' and Greek 'lotos', which named several different plants, including the water lily and the mythological fruit of forgetfulness. It entered English in the 1500s through botanical and literary works.