Bum: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿ‘
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bum

 

[ bสŒm ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

on the body

A person's buttocks.

Synonyms

backside, behind, buttocks.

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Word Description / Examples
bum

Repeated word; please refer to the first entry labeled 'bum'.

buttocks

A more clinical and formal term, often used in medical or anatomical contexts. It refers specifically to the two fleshy parts of the rear.

  • The doctor examined the patient's buttocks for any signs of injury
  • Pain in the buttocks can be a sign of various medical conditions
backside

A polite and commonly acceptable term that can be used in both informal and slightly formal settings. It refers to the rear end of the body.

  • She landed on her backside when she tripped
  • His backside was sore after riding the bike all day
behind

A neutral term often used when speaking in polite company or around children. It refers to the rear end or buttocks.

  • Sit down on your behind
  • The little boy rubbed his behind after falling off the swing

Examples of usage

  • She fell and landed on her bum.
  • He sat on the cold ground, feeling his bum go numb.
Context #2 | Noun

informal

A lazy or idle person.

Synonyms

idler, loafer, slacker.

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Word Description / Examples
bum

Informal and somewhat derogatory. Used to describe someone who is lazy and unmotivated or someone who lives on the street.

  • He's just a bum who doesn't want to work.
  • I saw a bum sleeping on the park bench.
slacker

Casual and commonly used among peers. Refers to someone who evades work or responsibilities, often in a work or school setting.

  • Don't be such a slacker; finish your assignment!
  • He's known as the office slacker who never meets deadlines.
idler

More formal and literary. Refers to someone who avoids work or spends time doing nothing productive.

  • The idler sat in the garden all day, lost in his thoughts.
  • Don't be an idler; find something useful to do.
loafer

Informal and mildly negative. Refers to someone who takes life easy and avoids hard work.

  • He's been a loafer ever since he quit his job.
  • The loafers gathered at the coffee shop, chatting away the morning.

Examples of usage

  • Stop being a bum and start helping out!
  • He's just a bum who never does any work.
Context #3 | Verb

informal

To avoid work or responsibility.

Synonyms

laze, loaf, shirk.

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Word Description / Examples
bum

Refers to someone who avoids work or leads an idle life, often negatively connoted.

  • He's such a bum, always lounging around and doing nothing productive
laze

Indicates relaxing in a lazy manner, typically in a positive or neutral sense.

  • After the long hike, they decided to laze around by the pool
loaf

Describes someone who spends time idly, especially when they should be working. Often used negatively.

  • Instead of helping, he was loafing around in the break room
shirk

Means to avoid responsibilities or duties, particularly obligations or work. This has a negative connotation.

  • She tends to shirk her responsibilities whenever there's a difficult task

Examples of usage

  • He decided to bum around instead of looking for a job.
  • She's been bumming off her parents for years.

Translations

Translations of the word "bum" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น bumbum

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฌเคฎ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Bum

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ bokong

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะดัƒะฟะฐ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ tyล‚ek

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใŠๅฐป

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท fesses

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ trasero

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท popo

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์—‰๋ฉ์ด

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู…ุคุฎุฑุฉ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ zadek

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ zadok

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅฑ่‚ก

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ rit

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ rass

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะฑำฉะบัะต

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒขแƒแƒ™แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ popo

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ trasero

Etymology

The word 'bum' originated in the late 18th century, possibly as a variant of 'bumbailiff' (a sheriff's officer), with 'bum' meaning 'constable' in thieves' cant. Over time, it evolved to refer to a person's buttocks and later to describe a lazy or idle person.

See also: bumming, bums.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #17,896, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.