derrière

Or der·ri·ere

[der-ee-air, de-ryer]

noun

1. the buttocks; rump.

derrière

/ dɛrjɛr, ˌdɛrɪˈɛə /

noun

1. euphemistic,  the buttocks

Word History and Origins

Origin of derrière¹

1765–75; < French (preposition, noun); Old French deriere < Vulgar Latin *dē retrō, for Latin retrō towards the rear, backwards; arrear

Word History and Origins

Origin of derrière¹

C18: literally: behind (prep), from Old French deriere, from Latin dē retrō from the back

Example Sentences

Arms flailing, Penelope skidded down the hall on what the French would politely call her derriere, past the stairs and straight into the drawing room, where Newton’s greater force lay ready and waiting: an overstuffed armchair containing the seated form of Sir Fredrick Ashton, the unimaginably wealthy and incurably nearsighted master of Ashton Place.

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Can I interest you in a derrière scintillant with your pommes frites?

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Others say Bette Davis said its derriere reminded her of her second husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson.

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After my newly dressed derriere’s debut, morning coffee went like this: “I really appreciate you hearing me, but that’s not really the kind of lingerie I’m into. … Have you ever thought about latex?”

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Which is how they find themselves stumbling off the twice-weekly bus to the derrière of nowhere, squinting at a dirt track that only seems to lead to more dirt.

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Related Words

• ass 
• posterior 
• rear end