n.
Pronunciation: ' b ə d
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English budde
Date: 14th century
1 : a small lateral or terminal protuberance on the stem of a plant that may develop into a flower, leaf, or shoot
2 : something not yet mature or at full development: as a : an incompletely opened flower b : CHILD , YOUTH c (1) : an outgrowth of an organism that differentiates into a new individual : GEMMA (2) : an outgrowth having the potential to differentiate and grow into a definitive organ or part : PRIMORDIUM <an embryonic limb bud >
3 : BUDDY
– in the bud : in an early stage of development <nipped the rebellion in the bud >