Meadow buttercup usually grows to a height of about 70 cm. Golden yellow flowers are born singly on unfurred stalks branching from stems. Each flower usually has five overlapping petals above five green sepals that turn yellow as the flower matures. Petals and sepals form a shallow cup 1.5 to 2.5 cm across. Each flower has numerous stamens inserted below the ovary.
The petals of buttercup flowers trap a thin layer of air between two layers of cells. This gives them a mirror-like quality that reflects light, making them highly visible to pollinators (bees, flies, beetles, moths & butterflies).