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Synonyms

bunny

American  
[buhn-ee] / ˈbʌn i /

noun

plural

bunnies

  1. Informal. a rabbit, especially a small or young one.

  2. Slang: Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive. a pretty, appealing, or alluring young woman, often one ostensibly engaged in a sport or similar activity.

    beach bunny; ski bunny.

  3. Chiefly British. a squirrel.

  4. Australian and New Zealand Slang. a person imposed upon or made a fool of; victim.

adjective

  1. designed for or used by beginners in skiing.

    a bunny slope.
bunny British  
/ ˈbʌnɪ /

noun

  1. Also called: bunny rabbit.  a child's word for rabbit

  2. Also called: bunny girl.  a night-club hostess whose costume includes rabbit-like tail and ears

  3. informal a mug; dupe

  4. slang a devotee of a specified pastime or activity

    gym bunny

    disco bunny

  5. slang talk, esp when inconsequential; chatter

  6. slang deeply dissatisfied or discontented

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Sensitive Note

The meaning “pretty woman” is sometimes used with disparaging intent and perceived as insulting. For instance, a beach bunny is an alluring female who frequents the beach only to meet male surfers. But bunny was originally (and still is) used as a term of endearment for a girl or young woman.

Etymology

Origin of bunny

1600–10, dial. bun (tail of a) hare or rabbit, in Scots: buttocks (< Scots Gaelic bun bottom) + -y 2

Explanation

Bunny is another name for a rabbit, the soft long-eared mammal that's commonly kept as a pet and hops around on strong hind legs. Bunny is an informal word that comes from the Scottish bun, also a pet name for a rabbit. Some etymologists think it derives from an earlier meaning of bun in Scottish, "tail of a hare." You're most likely to refer to a rabbit as a bunny if you're a child, if you're talking about a pet (rather than a wild rabbit), or if you're referring to the Easter bunny.

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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.

Under the gaze of First Lady Melania Trump and a mascot dressed as a giant Easter bunny, Trump doubled down at the White House event on his threats.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

Buying the first round is a winning strategy even if you belong on the bunny slope.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

He got his start singing in a church choir at the age of five, and earned his nom de plume from a childhood photo of him scowling in a bunny costume.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

“I don’t know what a bad bunny is but doesn’t sound good.”

From Salon • Jan. 30, 2026

For some reason that I do not quite understand yet, humans call the white hazmat suits they wear bunny suits.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

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.