lotus

n. 1 legendary plant inducing luxurious languor when eaten. 2 a kind of water lily etc., esp. Used symbolically in hinduism and buddhism. [greek lotos]

n. 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 Nymphaea Lotus and N. caerulea, the respectively white-flowered and blue-flowered lotus of modern Egypt, which, with Nelumbium speciosum, are figured on its ancient monuments.