bumper

¹ American  

[buhm-per] / ˈbʌm pər /

noun

1. a person or thing that bumps.

2. a metal guard, usually horizontal, for protecting the front or rear of an automobile, truck, etc.

3. any protective rim, guard, pad, or disk for absorbing shock and preventing damage from bumping as a rubber-tipped doorstop or an old tire on the side of a boat.

4. a cup or glass filled to the brim, as with beer.

5. Informal. something unusually large.

6. a person who molds bricks by hand.

7. Foundry. a machine for ramming sand into a mold.

8. a carangid fish, Chlorosombrus chrysurus, of southern U.S. and Cuban coastal seas.

9. Television.

   1. Also called bumper tease.  Also bump in a news program, a brief teaser coming at the end of a segment just before commercials, announcing or previewing a forthcoming story.

   2. Also called commercial bumper,.  Also called break bumper.  a brief interval of music, graphics, or voiceover serving as a transition between program and advertising content.

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adjective

1. unusually abundant.

   Bumper crops reaped a big profit for local farmers.

verb (used with object)

1. to fill to the brim.

bumper ² American  

[buhm-per] / ˈbʌm pər /

noun

Australian Slang.

1. the unconsumed end of a cigarette; cigarette butt.

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bumper ¹ British  

/ ˈbʌmpə /

noun

1. a glass, tankard, etc, filled to the brim, esp as a toast

2. an unusually large or fine example of something

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adjective

1. unusually large, fine, or abundant

   a bumper crop

verb

1. (tr) to toast with a bumper

2. (tr) to fill to the brim

3. (intr) to drink bumpers

bumper ² British  

/ ˈbʌmpə /

noun

1. a horizontal metal bar attached to the front or rear end of a car, lorry, etc, to protect against damage from impact

2. a person or machine that bumps

3. cricket a ball bowled so that it bounces high on pitching; bouncer

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bumper ³ British  

/ ˈbʌmpə /

noun

1. old-fashioned a cigarette end

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Etymology

Origin of bumper¹

First recorded in 1750–60; bump + -er ¹

Origin of bumper²

First recorded in 1890–95; expressive coinage, perhaps blend of butt ¹ and stump + -er ¹

Explanation

A bumper is the curved bar across the front of a car that protects it from getting dented or scratched during minor accidents. If you bump into your mailbox, you may damage your car's bumper. A car's bumper is designed to absorb as much impact as possible, protecting the more important parts of the car. A bumper car at a carnival is made to be slammed into other bumper cars — the bumpers help keep riders safe from injury, while the cars travel too slowly to cause damage. The earliest bumpers, in the 1830s, were on the front of trains. The phrase "bumper-to-bumper traffic" means an unusually dense traffic jam.

Example Sentences

Bumper sales of tickets, hospitality and sponsorship opportunities have surpassed the tournament's commercial revenue targets before the first match.

From BBC • Aug. 22, 2025

Bumper profit has fueled an energy merger spree, even as deal-making lags in general.

From New York Times • Feb. 12, 2024

Pierson said the Oceanic Society spotted some familiar fins during the May encounter, such as CA51, also known as Bumper, a playful orca that likes to get close to boats.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2023

Singers Joss Stone, Jordin Sparks and Betty Who will also be part of the festivities, as will the stars of Peacock’s “Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin” - Adam Devine, Sarah Hyland and Flula Borg.

From Washington Times • Nov. 24, 2022

Bumper stickers and license plates appear and disappear in a blink.

From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon

Related Words

• ample
• bountiful
• fertile
• generous
• productive
• prolific
• sufficient
• unlimited