bun

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈbən 

1

: a sweet or plain small bread

especially : a round roll

2

: a knot of hair shaped like a bun

3

buns plural : buttocks

bun

2 of 2

noun (2)

: load sense 4

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• backside
• behind
• booty [slang]
• bootie
• bottom
• breech
• bum
• butt
• buttocks
• caboose
• can
• cheeks
• derriere
• derrière
• duff
• fanny
• fundament
• hams
• haunches
• heinie [slang]
• hunkers
• keister [slang]
• keester
• nates
• posterior
• rear
• rear end
• rump
• seat
• tail
• tail end
• tush [slang]

Examples of bun in a Sentence

Noun (1)

an exercise to firm your buns

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Bulbous egg custard buns ($2 or three for $5.70) were nearly as stellar and eye-catching, dyed a soft yellow, cross-hatched to look like chicken skin and holding a luscious, creamy river inside. —Benjy Egel, Sacbee.com, 2 Apr. 2025

This month's round-up includes Instagram-worthy ramen, a variety of donuts and a decadent burger that combines classic barbecue flavor with Japanese milk buns. —Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 31 Mar. 2025

Here, cookbook author and recipe contributor Marcy Goldman shares her bun how-to (and a few memories of coaching her sons’ baseball team) with the L.A. Times. —Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2025

The Dense Brioche Pullman loaves were packaged with seven loaves per case, while the 4.5-inch Brioche HB Buns were packaged with 48 buns per case. —Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English bunne

Noun (2)

perhaps from bun entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1898, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bun

• have a bun in the oven
• sticky bun

Rhymes for bun

• done
• dun
• fun
• gun
• hun
• jun
• none
• nun
• one
• pun
• run
• shun

Kids Definition

bun

noun

ˈbən

1

: a sweet or plain small bread

especially : a round roll

2

: a knot of hair shaped like a bun

Medical Definition

BUN

noun

ˌbē-ˌyü-ˈen 

: the concentration of nitrogen in the form of urea in the blood