1
: a small lateral or terminal protuberance on the stem of a plant that may develop into a flower, leaf, or shoot
2
: something not yet mature or at full development: such as
a
: an incompletely opened flower
c(1)
: an outgrowth of an organism that differentiates into a new individual : gemma
(2)
: an outgrowth having the potential to differentiate and grow into a definitive organ or part : primordium
an embryonic limb bud
3
: buddy
4
slang
: marijuana
The dance floor is packed. Red and blue lights filter through cigarette and bud smoke.—
T-Love
T-Love
budded; budding
1
of a plant
a
: to set or put forth buds
b
: to commence growth from buds
2
: to grow or develop from or as if from a bud
3
: to reproduce asexually especially by the pinching off of a small part of the parent
1
: to produce or develop from buds
2
: to cause (a plant) to bud
3
: to insert a bud from a plant of one kind into an opening in the bark of (a plant of another kind) usually in order to propagate a desired variety
budder
noun
Examples of bud in a Sentence
Noun
The bush has plenty of buds but no flowers yet.
that sitcom star is still a bud, so all he needs right now are looks and personality
Verb
The trees budded early this spring.
Recent Examples on the Web
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
The company's own Super Refresh technology is also baked in to nip image ghosting in the bud.
—New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2025
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
Ted is optimistic that this budding romance is the beginning of his Christmas comeback, but his looming holiday bad luck still has a few curveballs in store for him.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bud
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Noun
This means pruning to create an open shape and removing the buds so the shrub can focus on developing roots, stems, and leaves rather than fruit production.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
The company's own Super Refresh technology is also baked in to nip image ghosting in the bud.
—New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
The actor, mogul, and budding lawyer wore another Dilara Findikoglu look, from the fall 2025 Venus From Chaos collection.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
Ted is optimistic that this budding romance is the beginning of his Christmas comeback, but his looming holiday bad luck still has a few curveballs in store for him.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bud
Cite this Entry
“Bud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bud. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bud
1 of 2 noun1
: a small growth at the tip or on the side of a plant stem that later develops into a flower, leaf, or new shoot
2
: a flower that has not fully opened
3
: a part that grows out from the body of a plant or animal and develops into a new individual
4
: a stage in which something is not yet fully developed
trees in bud
a plan still in the bud
bud
2 of 2 verb
budded; budding
1
: to set or put forth buds
2
: to be or develop like a bud (as in freshness and promise of growth)
a budding diplomat
3
: to reproduce by the pinching off of a small part of the parent
budding yeast cells
4
: to insert a bud from one plant into an opening cut in the bark of (another plant) in order to grow a desired variety
Medical Definition
bud
1 of 2 noun1
a
: an asexual reproductive structure
b
: a primordium having potentialities for growth and development into a definitive structure
an embryonic limb bud
a horn bud
2
: an anatomical structure (as a tactile corpuscle) resembling a bud
bud
2 of 2 intransitive verb
budded; budding
: to reproduce asexually especially by the pinching off of a small part of the parent
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