Having the shape of a bulb; rounded and swollen at the base like an onion or light bulb.
From 'bulb' (a rounded underground plant structure) plus the adjective-forming suffix '-y.' The term emerged in botanical and general English to describe anything with a bulb-like appearance.
English is wonderfully efficient at making adjectives by adding '-y' to nouns—bulby, lumpy, bumpy, frilly, squishy—it's one of the most productive word-making patterns in the language!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.