Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BUD, n. [D. bot; Fr. bouton; It. bottone, a bud or button; Ir. abaidh, a bud; Sp. boton; Arm. bouton, literally a push; Sp. botar, to push or thrust, to vow; Gr. φυτον; φυω, to plant or beget, contracted from φυτω; Ch. נבט; Ar. نَبَتَ nabata; allied to pout, Fr. bouder. See class Bd, No. 34.]

A gem; the shoot of a plant; a small protuberance on the stem or branches of a plant, containing the rudiments of future leaves, or a flower. It is called by botanists the hybernacle, the winter lodge or receptacle of the leaves or flower of plants, and is an epitome of a flower, or of a shoot, which is to be unfolded the succeeding summer. It is covered with scales, which are intended to defend the inclosed rudiments from cold and other external injuries. Buds are of three kinds; that containing the flower; that containing the leaves; and that containing both flower and leaves. – Milne. Martyn. Bud, answering to L. gemma, is the scaly covering of the rudiment of the future plant on all trees and shrubs in northern latitudes. This is not found on plants in the tropical climates. – De Candolle.