bunny

[ buhn-ee ]

/ ˈbʌn i /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bunny ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural bun·nies.

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

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.

Chiefly British. a squirrel.

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

adjective

designed for or used by beginners in skiing: a bunny slope.

Nearby words

bunko, bunko steerer, bunkroom, bunkum, bunn, bunny, bunny boiler, bunny hop, bunny hug, bunodont, bunraku

Origin of bunny

1600–10, Americanism; dial. bun (tail of a) hare or rabbit, in Scots: buttocks (< Scots Gaelic bun bottom) + -y²

Usage 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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bunny

And likewise the Easter bunny, a bizarre pagan myth if ever one there was.
Meet Krampus, the Seriously Bad Santa|Jay Michaelson|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One Love notwithstanding, on the night of the gig, Bunny demanded his £10,000 fee in cash before he would take to the stage.
Inside London’s Wild Brixton Academy: How Gangsters and Kurt Cobain Made It London’s Top Music Venue|Tom Sykes|September 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A pioneering photographer in the 1950s, Bunny Yeager discovered the iconic Bettie Page and helped establish pin-ups.
The Queen of the Playboy Centerfolds|Nina Strochlic|May 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Eventually I gave way to Bunny's insistence and lost my virginity, appropriately enough, in H.G. Wells's spare bedroom.
House of Cads: Growing Up Amid the Weirdness of Bloomsbury|Jessica Ferri|April 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

No one feels it necessary to tell Angelica that Bunny was once her father's lover.
House of Cads: Growing Up Amid the Weirdness of Bloomsbury|Jessica Ferri|April 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She hastened to that end of the car, followed by Bunny and Sue, who did not want to be left behind.
Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue in the Sunny South|Laura Lee Hope
Bardie and Bunny knew better than that, and never came for stories, till the proper time—the twilight.
The Maid of Sker|Richard Doddridge Blackmore
As Roundy picked up his cap, Bunny turned his attention to the telephone.
The Boy Scouts of Lakeville High|Leslie W. Quirk
And I don't want that, 'cause me and Bunny is going to do an act, only it's a secret and I can't tell you.
Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue Playing Circus|Laura Lee Hope
I'll see if Bunny is coming after I put your clothes to soak.
Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue Keeping Store|Laura Lee Hope

British Dictionary definitions for bunny

bunny

/ (ˈbʌnɪ) /

noun plural -nies

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

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

Australian informal a mug; dupe

slang a devotee of a specified pastime or activitygym bunny; disco bunny

British slang talk, esp when inconsequential; chatter

not a happy bunny British slang deeply dissatisfied or discontented

Word Origin for bunny

C17: from Scottish Gaelic bun scut of a rabbit

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