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• butt
  butt

  noun

  the end or extremity of anything, especially the thicker, larger, or blunt end considered as a bottom, base, support, or handle, as of a log, fishing rod, or pistol.
• Butt
  Butt

  noun

  Dame Clara . 1872–1936, English contralto

butt

¹ American  

[buht] / bʌt /

noun

1. the end or extremity of anything, especially the thicker, larger, or blunt end considered as a bottom, base, support, or handle, as of a log, fishing rod, or pistol.

2. an end that is not used or consumed; remnant.

   a cigar butt.

3. a lean cut of pork shoulder.

4. Slang. the buttocks.

5. Slang. a cigarette.

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butt ² American  

[buht] / bʌt /

noun

1. a person or thing that is an object of wit, ridicule, sarcasm, contempt, etc.

   Synonyms:

   patsy, pigeon, prey, laughingstock, gull, dupe, mark, target, victim

2. a target.

3. (on a rifle range)

   1. a wall of earth located behind the targets to prevent bullets from scattering over a large area.

   2. butts, a wall behind which targets can be safely lowered, scored, and raised during firing practice.

4. butt hinge.

5. Obsolete. a goal; limit.

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verb (used without object)

1. to have an end or projection on; be adjacent to; abut.

verb (used with object)

1. to position or fasten an end (of something).

2. to place or join the ends (of two things) together; set end-to-end.

butt ³ American  

[buht] / bʌt /

verb (used with object)

1. to strike or push with the head or horns.

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verb (used without object)

1. to strike or push something or at something with the head or horns.

2. to project.

3. Machinery. (of wheels in a gear train) to strike one another instead of meshing.

noun

1. a push or blow with the head or horns.

verb phrase

1. butt out to stop meddling in the affairs or intruding in the conversation of others.

   I tried to talk some sense into him and was told to butt out.

2. butt in to meddle in the affairs or intrude in the conversation of others; interfere.

   It was none of his concern, so he didn't butt in.

butt ⁴ American  

[buht] / bʌt /

noun

1. a large cask for wine, beer, or ale.

2. any cask or barrel.

3. any of various units of capacity, usually considered equal to two hogsheads.

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butt ⁵ American  

[buht] / bʌt /

Or but

noun

• butt,
  plural
• butts
  plural

1. any of several flatfishes, especially the halibut.

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butt ¹ British  

/ bʌt /

noun

1. a person or thing that is the target of ridicule, wit, etc

2. shooting archery

   1. a mound of earth behind the target on a target range that stops bullets or wide shots

   2. the target itself

   3. (plural) the target range

3. a low barrier, usually of sods or peat, behind which sportsmen shoot game birds, esp grouse

4. archaic goal; aim

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verb

1. to lie or be placed end on to; abut

   to butt a beam against a wall

butt ² British  

/ bʌt /

noun

1. the thicker or blunt end of something, such as the end of the stock of a rifle

2. the unused end of something, esp of a cigarette; stub

3. tanning the portion of a hide covering the lower backside of the animal

4. informal the buttocks

5. a slang word for cigarette

6. building trades short for butt joint butt hinge

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butt ³ British  

/ bʌt /

verb

1. to strike or push (something) with the head or horns

2. (intr) to project; jut

3. (intr; foll by in or into) to intrude, esp into a conversation; interfere; meddle

4. informal to stop interfering or meddling

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noun

1. a blow with the head or horns

butt ⁴ British  

/ bʌt /

noun

1. a large cask, esp one with a capacity of two hogsheads, for storing wine or beer

2. a US unit of liquid measure equal to 126 US gallons

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Butt ⁵ British  

/ bʌt /

noun

1. Dame Clara . 1872–1936, English contralto

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• butter
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• butt
  plural
• butts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of butt¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English bott “(thick) end, buttock,” Old English butt “tree stump” (in placenames); akin to Swedish but “stump,” Danish but “stubby”; further origin uncertain; cf. buttock

Origin of butt²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French but “target, goal,” probably ultimately from Old Norse bútr “stump, log” (from the use of a wooden block or stump as a target in archery, etc.); cf. butt ¹, butte ( def. )

Origin of butt³

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English butten, bouten, from Anglo-French buter, butter, Old French bouter, buter “to thrust, strike,” from Germanic; compare Old Norse bauta “to strike,” Middle Dutch botten “to strike, sprout”; cf. beat ( def. )

Origin of butt⁴

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English but(t)e, bot(t), from Anglo-French bo(u)t(e); Middle French, from Old Provençal bota, from Late Latin butta, buttis, akin to Greek boût(t)is “vessel in the shape of a frustum of a cone” (of pre-Greek origin)

Origin of butt⁵

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English but(te), botte; cognate with Swedish butta “turbot,” German Butt “brill, turbot, flounder,” Dutch bot “flounder”

Explanation

Your butt is your buttocks, your tush, your rear end. Saying butt is more childish than offensive. Butt is a four-letter word, though using it won't get you in much trouble — It's much less offensive than ass. It also has plenty of other meanings, like butting into a conversation (interrupting it) or the butt of a gun (the thick end). If you make fun of someone, they are the butt of your jokes. The used end of a cigarette is called a butt, too. But you'll hear it more often in phrases like "Get your butt in here!"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

butt Butt butts

Huffman’s characterization of Bree is three-dimensional and completely straight-faced, brimming with compassion and curiosity — and, really, so very funny, but without ever making Bree the butt of the joke.

From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2026

OK, so get your butt around to everyone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

The whole thing had been a real pain in the butt for Bill.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

The minister revealed that nine out of 10 fires "are human-caused and most arise from carelessness: a cigarette butt, a barbecue, work carried out without precaution".

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

And they definitely mentioned the Fayetteville historic district, so Maggie takes her butt outside to the cellar, along with her phone, even though it’s almost dead.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Equinox says male bookings of its “Best Butt Ever” class have increased 17% since 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 2026

“It was interesting watching the traders from a human perspective,” says Hamzah Parvez Butt, one of the commentators.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026

His former midfielder Nicky Butt has said that on at least one occasion he was prevented from joining up with the England team by his manager.

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026

Earlier this year, United defender Lisandro Martinez hit back at comments from Butt and Scholes.

From BBC ● Mar. 9, 2026

“And make sure you use the Butt Paste on Evan when you change his diaper,” Mom said, and Ivy giggled.

From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake

Most are believed to be accidental, with sparks potentially coming from construction work, faulty electrical equipment, cigarette butts and barbecues.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Taylor Swift fans have paid $25 for pieces of trash -- including cigarette butts and an ovulation test kit -- collected near the US pop queen's wedding to NFL star Travis Kelce.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

Wells Fargo suggests smoking a pork shoulder or ribs as an alternative to grilling burgers, with the average price for pork butts virtually unchanged from the prior year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Electrical equipment, unattended camp fires, cigarette butts and arson have rapidly increased the interval of fire.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

My family had highs and lows, made money and lost what money can buy, had good days and days that were ground out like cigarette butts.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos

Related Words

• backside
• behind
• bottom
• bum
• derriere
• tush