buttercup Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any of various plants of the genus Ranunculus
    kingcup; butterflower; butter-flower; goldcup; crowfoot.

WordNet

But"ter*cup` noun
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Ranunculus, or crowfoot, particularly R. bulbosus, with bright yellow flowers; -- called also butterflower, golden cup, and kingcup. It is the cuckoobud of Shakespeare.

Webster 1913