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

My hair was coiffed into a sleek modern bun by David Cotteblanche, the stylist behind three of my Met Gala hairdos, and a Bobbi Brown artist applied my makeup. —Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2024

The bread was sturdy enough to hold the burger intact, but felt less dense than a typical burger bun. —Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 18 Dec. 2024

The sandwich was served on a Big Mac bun and featured two tempura battered chicken patties, Big Mac sauce, cheese, lettuce and pickle slices. —Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 17 Dec. 2024

There were the classics—fragrant cinnamon buns the size of my face from Isles Bun & Coffee in Uptown and oozing Jucy Lucies at Matt’s Bar in south Minneapolis, conveniently close to the airport. —Tim Chester, AFAR Media, 13 Dec. 2024

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

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