Bulbel

/ˈbʌlbəl/ noun

Definition

A small bulb or bulb-like body, especially one produced on the leaf or stem of a plant for vegetative reproduction.

Etymology

From 'bulb' (Latin 'bulba') plus diminutive suffix '-el,' coined in botanical terminology for miniature bulb structures.

Kelly Says

Plants like lilies grow tiny bulbels on their stems and leaves as a shortcut to making babies—it's like plants having clone factories built into their bodies.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.