[loh-tuh
s] 
| 1. | a plant believed to be a jujube or elm, referred to in Greek legend as yielding a fruit that induced a state of dreamy and contented forgetfulness in those who ate it. |
| 2. | the fruit itself. |
| 3. | any aquatic plant of the genus Nelumbo, of the water lily family, having shieldlike leaves and showy, solitary flowers usually projecting above the water. |
| 4. | any of several water lilies of the genus Nymphaea. |
| 5. | a decorative motif derived from such a plant and used widely in ancient art, as on the capitals of Egyptian columns. |
| 6. | any shrubby plant of the genus Lotus, of the legume family, having red, pink, yellow, or white flowers. |
| lo·tus also lo·tos (lō'təs) n.
[Latin lōtus, name of several plants, from Greek lōtos.] |