What does "rosebud" mean?
The bud of a rose.
Rosebud
/ˈɹoʊz.bʌd/ name, noun, slang
name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The bud of a rose.
- Grammar: rosebud is listed as name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: anus, bud, floral bud, flower bud.
- Useful contrasts: amnesia, bloom, open flower.
- Usage evidence: He also pursed his lips to such an extent that they resembled a rosebud in a dirty bush.
How to use "rosebud"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "rosebud" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "rosebud" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "rosebud" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "rosebud" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "rosebud" is acting as name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "anus" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "rosebud", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The bud of a rose.
"Holonyms: rose < rosebush"
- 2 A member of the most junior division of the Girl Guides Association, now called a Brownie. British, historical
- 3 (a literary reference to) a pretty young girl wordnet
- 4 A pretty young woman. British, sometimes
- 5 Something similar to the ‘Rosebud’ in the movie Citizen Kane in that it is a mysterious clue which provides profound insight into the character of a person.
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 the bud of a rose wordnet
- 7 A debutante. US, rare
- 8 Any of assorted small seashells with a pink or partially pink color, usually of the family Muricidae. rare
- 9 A mouth. Cockney
- 10 the indentation of a surface caused by an incorrect hammer strike (missing the nail) slang
- 11 The anus. slang, vulgar
"Her ass was the ultimate goal for both of us, but I wanted to draw out the anticipation. […] She watched from between her knees as I prepared to push into her rosebud."
- 12 The clitoris. slang, vulgar
"His thumbs spread her woman's center so he could fit his mouth more closely and enter her with his tongue. Now she could not contain her cries of excitement. The tip of his tongue licked the hard rosebud hidden within, then circled it slowly over and over until she was swollen with need."
- 13 A woman's nipples, namely when erect. in-plural, slang
"I gasped when I felt the powerful spray from the shower against my breasts. First one, then the other. My rosebuds swelled up immediately, red and stiff. She sprayed between my breasts and on the small of my back. Then she quit for a minute."
Proper Noun
- 1 A coastal town in Victoria, Australia, named after the wreck of the cargo ship "Rosebud".
- 2 A hamlet in Wheatland County, Alberta, Canada.
- 3 An unincorporated community in Wilcox County, Alabama, United States.
- 4 An unincorporated community in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States.
- 5 An unincorporated community in Warrick County, Indiana, United States.
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 An unincorporated community in Washington County, Indiana, United States.
- 7 A small city in Gasconade County, Missouri, United States.
- 8 An unincorporated community in Rosebud County, Montana, United States, probably named after the Rosebud Creek.
- 9 An unincorporated community in Stokes County, North Carolina, United States.
- 10 A census-designated place in Todd County, South Dakota, United States, situated on the Rosebud Indian Reservation.
- 11 A city in Falls County, Texas, United States.
- 12 A river in Alberta, Canada.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"He also pursed his lips to such an extent that they resembled a rosebud in a dirty bush."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "rosebud"?
Common synonyms include: anus, bud, floral bud, flower bud, memory metaphor, memory symbol.
How do you use "rosebud" in a sentence?
He also pursed his lips to such an extent that they resembled a rosebud in a dirty bush.
How do you pronounce "rosebud"?
Pronounced /ˈɹoʊz.bʌd/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From rose + bud.
Etymology 2
From rosebud.