bunt

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈbənt 

1

a

: the middle part of a square sail

b

: the part of a furled sail gathered up in a bunch at the center of the yard

2

: the bagging part of a fishing net

bunt

2 of 4

verb

bunted; bunting; bunts

transitive verb

1

: to strike or push with or as if with the head : butt

2

: to push or tap (a baseball) lightly with a bat without swinging

intransitive verb

: to bunt a baseball

bunter noun

bunt

3 of 4

noun (2)

1

: an act or instance of bunting

2

: a bunted ball

bunt

4 of 4

noun (3)

: a destructive covered smut of wheat caused by a fungus (genus Tilletia)

Examples of bunt in a Sentence

Verb

The batter bunted for a single.

He bunted the ball toward third base.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

With two on and no outs in the bottom of the seventh and Rizzo crashing in from first base, Kiké Hernández dropped a perfect bunt toward third, a sacrifice the Dodgers were unable to cash in on. —Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024

On the first pitch from Padres closer Robert Suarez, Rojas was instructed to lay down a bunt. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2024

Verb

In the field, the Yankees also could try to stress Freeman in a way the Padres and New York Mets didn’t, by bunting to him and forcing him to be more involved defensively. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024

Believe it, somebody in modern baseball actually bunted their way on base. —Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

perhaps from Low German, bundle, from Middle Low German; akin to Old English byndel bundle

Verb

alteration of butt

Noun (3)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1584, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1767, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

circa 1790, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bunt

• drag bunt
• sac bunt
• sacrifice bunt

Kids Definition

bunt

verb

ˈbənt

1

: to strike or push with the horns or head : butt

2

: to push or tap a baseball lightly without swinging the bat

bunt noun

bunter noun