Lotus

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Lotus \Lo"tus\ (l[=o]"t[u^]s), n. [L. lotus, Gr. lwto`s. Cf.
     {Lote}.]
     1. (Bot.)
        (a) A name of several kinds of water lilies; as {Nelumbium
            speciosum}, used in religious ceremonies, anciently in
            Egypt, and to this day in Asia; {Nelumbium luteum},


            the American lotus; and {Nymph[ae]a Lotus} and
            {Nymph[ae]a c[ae]rulea}, the respectively
            white-flowered and blue-flowered lotus of modern
            Egypt, which, with {Nelumbium speciosum}, are figured
            on its ancient monuments.
        (b) The lotus of the lotuseaters, probably a tree found in
            Northern Africa, Sicily, Portugal, and Spain
            ({Zizyphus Lotus}), the fruit of which is mildly
            sweet. It was fabled by the ancients to make strangers
            who ate of it forget their native country, or lose all
            desire to return to it.
        (c) The lote, or nettle tree. See {Lote}.
        (d) A genus ({Lotus}) of leguminous plants much resembling
            clover. [Written also {lotos}.]
            [1913 Webster]
  
     {European lotus}, a small tree ({Diospyros Lotus}) of
        Southern Europe and Asia; also, its rather large bluish
        black berry, which is called also the {date plum}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Arch.) An ornament much used in Egyptian architecture,
        generally asserted to have been suggested by the Egyptian
        water lily.
        [1913 Webster] Lotus-eater

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  lotus
       n 1: native to eastern Asia; widely cultivated for its large pink
            or white flowers [syn: {Indian lotus}, {sacred lotus}, {Nelumbo
            nucifera}]
       2: annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs [syn: {genus Lotus}]
       3: white Egyptian lotus: water lily of Egypt to southeastern
          Africa; held sacred by the Egyptians [syn: {white lotus},
          {Egyptian water lily}, {white lily}, {Nymphaea lotus}]

From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]:

  Lotus, CA
    Zip code(s): 95651