bun
noun
any of a wide variety of variously shaped bread rolls, usually leavened and slightly sweetened or plain, sometimes containing spices, dried currants, etc.
bun
1 American
[buhn]
/ bʌn /
noun
-
buns
plural
-
any of a wide variety of variously shaped bread rolls, usually leavened and slightly sweetened or plain, sometimes containing spices, dried currants, etc.
-
hair gathered into a round coil or knot at the nape of the neck or on top of the head in certain coiffures.
-
Slang. buns, the buttocks.
bun
2
American
[buhn]
/ bʌn /
idioms
BUN
3
American
abbreviation
bun
British
/ bʌn /
noun
-
a small roll, similar to bread but usually containing sweetening, currants, spices, etc
-
any of various types of small round sweet cakes
-
a hairstyle in which long hair is gathered into a bun shape at the back of the head
-
slang to be pregnant
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bun1
1325–75; Middle English bunne, possibly of Romance origin; see also buñuelo ( def. )
Origin of bun2
First recorded in 1900–05; of uncertain origin
Origin of BUN3
First recorded in 1915–20
Explanation
A bun is a small roll, usually made of wheat flour and baked in an oven. You might bake a batch of buns for a breakfast treat on Sunday mornings. Some people celebrate spring or the Easter holidays by making hot cross buns, sweet rolls with currants or raisins and light frosting. Because buns are commonly small and round, the hairstyle that involves a tight coil of hair on the top or back of the head is also called a bun. The origin is probably the French buignete, "a fritter," which had the unpleasant original meaning of "a boil" or "a skin swelling."
Vocabulary lists containing bun
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In a sport full of elaborate buzz cuts and eye-searing bleach jobs, the striking blond mane, pulled into a tight bun, became one of the enduring images of the tournament.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Nobody is breathlessly reviewing the hot-dog bun at the neighborhood bakery — though, God, give me that job.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026
To overhaul its signature Whopper, Burger King added a more premium bun, new mayonnaise, a box to preserve freshness—and a corporate chef who had already worked magic at chicken chain Popeyes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Burger King, owned by Restaurant Brands International, earlier this year improved the bun, box, mayo and other elements of its Whopper.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
A fat bumblebee sat atop her pretty hair bun, and Ella couldn't tell if it was fake or real.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Urea concentration in the blood, called blood urea nitrogen or BUN, is used as an indicator of kidney function.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
BUN, BUNN, s. a cake commonly used at New-Year time, composed of flour, dried fruits, and spices.
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume XXIV. by Alexander Leighton
BUN, a small cake, usually sweet and round.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 4 "Bulgaria" to "Calgary" by Various
This proved true, for the most part: Many visitors clearly knew and loved “Star Wars,” and Princess Leia buns and Yoda ears abounded.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
They’re not high-rises, but multi-tier spreads in the mold of seafood towers that instead are loaded with buns, wieners and more.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Waitrose has seen searches for milk buns – a related product with a similar enriched texture – jump 2,000% year-on-year, according to its press office.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
These are foam or gel-filled toys of various brands shaped like bao buns, and sometimes sold in plastic replicas of bamboo steamer baskets.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
To steal Baby Kochamma’s imported insulin and her cream buns that came all the way from Best- bakery in Kottayam.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
