The term lotus may refer to:

• The Indian lotus of the genus Nelumbo (see Nymphaeaceae). Particularly the sacred lotus plant of Hinduism and Buddhism, Nelumbo nucifera. All parts of nucifera are edible and the plant is a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine.
• An Egyptian water lily, also called Egyptian lotus, of the genus Nymphaea (see Nymphaeaceae).
• The genus Lotus in the subfamily Faboideae in the family Fabaceae
• The Lotus-eaters of the Odyssey are thought to have eaten a species of jujube, Ziziphus lotus; this would be the lotus tree that the mythological Lotis had been transformed into.
• "Lotus" also occurs in the common names or cultivar names of numerous unrelated plants.
• The Lotus Position (meditation)
• Lotus Cars, a British car manufacturer.
• Lotus Software, a Cambridge, MA, software company now owned by IBM. Developer of Lotus 1-2-3 and Lotus Notes.