bunny
Americannoun
plural
bunnies-
Informal. a rabbit, especially a small or young one.
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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.
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Chiefly British. a squirrel.
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Australian and New Zealand Slang. a person imposed upon or made a fool of; victim.
adjective
noun
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Also called: bunny rabbit. a child's word for rabbit
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Also called: bunny girl. a night-club hostess whose costume includes rabbit-like tail and ears
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informal a mug; dupe
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slang a devotee of a specified pastime or activity
gym bunny
disco bunny
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slang talk, esp when inconsequential; chatter
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slang deeply dissatisfied or discontented
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
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.
Louella said it used to be blue and it used to have bunnies on it, but now it just looked like my father’s car-washing rag.
From Literature
“It’s not hard to get people on board with rescuing a cute, fluffy bunny.”
From Literature
Large-scale neon sculptures — a bunny, a martini glass — will grace the upper walls.
From Los Angeles Times
“As for being a little bunny that never says a word, that is truly the opposite of me.”
From Los Angeles Times
Josh Tongue – 7 – Sublime on the first day to pick up five wickets, including his bunny Steve Smith.
From BBC
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.
