From Middle English asse, from Old English assa, back-formed from assen (“she-ass”), from Celtic (compare Old Irish asan, Old Cornish asen), from Latin asinus. Displaced Old English esol, from Proto-West Germanic *asil, also a loanword from the same Latin word. Sense “stupid person” from the animal's reputation for stubbornness, going back to antiquity (compare Latin asinus (“slow-witted person”)).
Meanings
Any of several species of horse-like animals, especially Equus asinus, the domesticated of which are used as beasts of burden.
Pliny the Elder states that, to increase sexual potency, the right testis of an ass should be worn in a bracelet. 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 49:
And Iesse tooke an asse laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by Dauid his sonne vnto Saul. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Samuel 16:20:
[…] suddenly a man, in foreign garments: wonderfully real and distinct to look at: stood outside the window, with an axe stuck in his belt, and leading an ass laden with wood by the bridle. 1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave Two. The First of the Three Spirits.”, in A Christmas Carol. […], London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 51:
Thus the Aſſe having a peculiar mark of a croſſe made by a black liſt down his back, and another athwart, or at right angles down his ſhoulders; common opinion aſcribes this figure unto a peculiar ſignation; ſince that beaſt had the honour to bear our Saviour on his back. 1650, Thomas Browne, “Of the Same [i.e., the Blacknesse of Negroes]”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC, 6th book, page 282:
In this section "animal" means any horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog. 1972, Parliament of the United Kingdom, “Part I, section 20(3)”, in Road Traffic Act 1972, page 14:
(from conflation with etymology 2, often, qualifier:noun sense 1, vulgar) A stupid or inconsiderate person.
That new kid left the cap off the syrup bottle again! What an ass.
I had sprung to my feet. I was speaking, and yet I had prepared no words. Tarp Henry, my companion, was plucking at my skirts and I heard him whispering, "Sit down, Malone! Don't make a public ass of yourself." 1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:
Near-synonyms: fool, idiot, jerk, asswipe; see also Thesaurus:jerk
He is such an ass for leaving the house door open.
Oh Vengeance! / Who? What an Aſſe am I? c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 264:
(obsolete, slang) A compositor.
Sometimes by way of joke, and sometimes by way of irritation, compositors are called Asses by the pressmen. [1841, William Savage, Dictionary of the Art of Printing, page 24:
no tulling (stupid person) · eu astakilo (stupid person) · vi người ngu (stupid person) · oc asne (animal — see also donkey) · ca ruc (stupid person) · tr karakaçan (animal — see also donkey) · ast pollín (animal — see also donkey) · tl hunghang (stupid person) · fi aasi (animal — see also donkey) · ia asino (animal — see also donkey) · no tosk (stupid person) · scn sceccu (animal — see also donkey) · az axmaq (stupid person) · sh màgare (stupid person) · ro asin (animal — see also donkey) · it scemo (stupid person) · hy ավանակ (animal — see also donkey) · ia asino (stupid person) · arc ܚܡܪܬܐ (animal — see also donkey) · ota اشك (stupid person) · es idiota (stupid person) · sl osel (stupid person) · is fífl (stupid person) · eu kaiku (stupid person) · de Trottel (stupid person) · gv assyl (animal — see also donkey) · hy հիմար (stupid person) · zh 驢 /驴 (animal — see also donkey) · it asino (animal — see also donkey) · arc ܚܡܪܐ (animal — see also donkey) · vo cuk (animal — see also donkey) · bg осе́л (animal — see also donkey) · scn sceccu (stupid person) · no dumskalle (stupid person) · pl osioł (animal — see also donkey) · vi lừa (animal — see also donkey) · sv åsna (animal — see also donkey) · fr âne (animal — see also donkey) · arc ܐܬܢܐ (animal — see also donkey) · fr âne (stupid person) · eo stultulo (stupid person) · pt besta (stupid person) · eu artaburu (stupid person) · ca ruc (animal — see also donkey) · hu seggfej (stupid person) · it buricco (animal — see also donkey) · iso ịkịtịkịtị (animal — see also donkey) · ar حُمار (animal — see also donkey) · fa خر (stupid person) · az eşşək (animal — see also donkey) · fro asne (animal — see also donkey) · fr imbécile (stupid person) · pt jumento (stupid person) · es jumento (animal — see also donkey) · es pollino (animal — see also donkey) · pt besta (animal — see also donkey) · rif aɣyur (animal — see also donkey) · pl osioł (stupid person) · sl osel (animal — see also donkey) · hy էշ (animal — see also donkey) · mk ма́гаре (stupid person) · es burro (stupid person) · tr eşek (stupid person) · fi aasi (stupid person) · eu lerdo (stupid person) · de Eselin (animal — see also donkey) · sk somár (stupid person) · pt jegue (animal — see also donkey) · tl asno (animal — see also donkey) · es acémila (animal — see also donkey) · pt asno (stupid person) · zh 驢子 /驴子 (animal — see also donkey) · tl hindot (stupid person) · es burro (animal — see also donkey) · eu asto (animal — see also donkey) · zza hera (diq) (stupid person) · sk osol (animal — see also donkey) · el γάϊδαρος (animal — see also donkey) · is hálviti (stupid person) · pt burro (stupid person) · et eesel (animal — see also donkey) · fr tête de nœud (stupid person) · fr moule à merde (stupid person) · sk chruňo (stupid person) · ko 나귀 (animal — see also donkey) · zh 白痴 (stupid person) · hy էշ (stupid person) · egy aA:D52-E7 (animal — see also donkey) · sk magor (stupid person) · pl idiota (stupid person) · cy mwlsen (stupid person) · sh màgarac (stupid person) · gd asal (animal — see also donkey) · ga asal (animal — see also donkey) · tr merkep (animal — see also donkey) · pl tuman (stupid person) · pt asno (animal — see also donkey) · sk debil (stupid person) · tr aptal (stupid person) · ro măgar (stupid person) · sm asini (animal — see also donkey) · de Esel (stupid person) · lv ēzelis (animal — see also donkey) · de Esel (animal — see also donkey) · ks خَر (animal — see also donkey) · hu szamár (animal — see also donkey) · pon ahs (animal — see also donkey) · is asni (animal — see also donkey) · es rucho (animal — see also donkey) · ar حِمَار (animal — see also donkey) · la asinus (stupid person) · ast burru (animal — see also donkey) · eo azeno (animal — see also donkey) · la asella (animal — see also donkey) · ru иша́к (animal — see also donkey) · sh ма̀гарац (stupid person) · az ağılsız (stupid person) · cs debil (stupid person) · ca babau (stupid person) · ms keldai (animal — see also donkey) · gd aiseal (animal — see also donkey) · mk ма́гаре (animal — see also donkey) · pt burro (animal — see also donkey) · pt jumento (animal — see also donkey) · no esel (animal — see also donkey) · es imbécil (stupid person) · zza hero (stupid person) · cv ашак (animal — see also donkey) · ca burro (animal — see also donkey) · cy mwlsyn (stupid person) · fr idiot (stupid person) · bg мага́ре (animal — see also donkey) · eu babu (stupid person) · nl ezel (animal — see also donkey) · sv åsna (stupid person) · tmr חֲמָרָא (animal — see also donkey) · ast xumentu (animal — see also donkey) · zza her (diq) (animal — see also donkey) · no asen (animal — see also donkey) · la asellus (animal — see also donkey) · ro măgar (animal — see also donkey) · ca ase (animal — see also donkey) · el γάϊδαρος (stupid person) · ru осёл (stupid person) · bg осли́ца (animal — see also donkey) · bal ہر (animal — see also donkey) · no idiot (stupid person) · fo asni (animal — see also donkey) · is asni (stupid person) · hy ապուշ (stupid person) · ota مركب (animal — see also donkey) · sk somár (animal — see also donkey) · el όνος (animal — see also donkey) · es borrico (animal — see also donkey) · sv idiot (stupid person) · da æsel (animal — see also donkey) · de Idiot (stupid person) · it idiota (stupid person) · cs osel (animal — see also donkey) · az ulaq (animal — see also donkey) · hu segg (stupid person) · tr himar (animal — see also donkey) · la asinus (animal — see also donkey) · ro idiot (stupid person) · ca burro (stupid person) · az səfeh (stupid person) · az sarsaq (stupid person) · krc эшек (animal — see also donkey) · kk есек (animal — see also donkey) · pt jerico (animal — see also donkey) · pox asål (animal — see also donkey) · ky эшек (animal — see also donkey) · oc ase (animal — see also donkey) · et eesel (stupid person) · az gicdıllaq (stupid person) · el βλάκας (stupid person) · txb kercapo (animal — see also donkey) · sa गर्दभ (animal — see also donkey) · grc ὄνος (animal — see also donkey) · sh ма̀гарац (animal — see also donkey) · it ciuco (animal — see also donkey) · io asno (animal — see also donkey) · id keledai (animal — see also donkey) · zh 笨蛋 (stupid person) · cs idiot (stupid person) · az uzunqulaq (animal — see also donkey) · aa danán (animal — see also donkey) · it somaro (animal — see also donkey) · tr eşek (animal — see also donkey) · es rozno (animal — see also donkey) · sk chumaj (stupid person) · pt imbecil (stupid person) · lzz ეშეღი (animal — see also donkey) · scn scecca (stupid person) · ota اشك (animal — see also donkey) · fa خر (animal — see also donkey) · it asino (stupid person) · cy asyn (animal — see also donkey) · sk osol (stupid person) · sh ма̀гаре (stupid person) · pdt Äsel (animal — see also donkey) · li aezel (animal — see also donkey) · la stultus (stupid person) · es capullo (stupid person) · xsv asilas (animal — see also donkey) · es asno (animal — see also donkey) · ru осёл (animal — see also donkey) · sh màgarac (animal — see also donkey) · ko 당나귀 (animal — see also donkey)
Variant of arse; used chiefly in North America. Ultimately from Middle English ars, ers, from Old English ærs, ears, from Proto-West Germanic *ars, from Proto-Germanic *arsaz (compare Old High German ars (German Arsch), Old Norse ars, Old Frisian ers), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁órsos (compare Ancient Greek ὄρρος (órrhos)).
Etymological notes
Contrary to the widespread belief of this being a euphemism, it arose as a pronunciation spelling (of the older form arse still used in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc.) that shows the assimilation of /ɹ/ before coronal consonants (especially /s/), a phenomenon that has been present in nonstandard speech from the Middle English period onwards; this is distinct from the later phenomenon of non-rhoticity as /ɹ/ was lost before it could modify the preceding vowel. Other instances of this phenomenon (some of which retained both spellings with different meanings) include cuss from curse, gash from garsh, bass (“fish”) from barse, bust from burst, passel from parcel; see :Category:English terms with assimilation of historic /ɹ/ for a more extensive list.
Meanings
(Canada, US, not-comparable, slang, vulgar) Of low quality; bad.
On a recent episode of "The Justin Dunning Podcast," Starkel shared his thoughts on Martell, a former Ohio State quarterback, saying "he's ass my dude" in reference to Starkel. 2019 February 5, Alex Miller, “Former Texas A&M QB Nick Starkel breaks down old Twitter beef with Tate Martell”, in Dallas Morning News:
"You're so ass," Murray says to another player. 2021 October 28, Josh Weinfuss, “What we learned about Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray by watching him on Twitch”, in ESPN:
For some reason, the teenager thought it’d be a good idea to criticize Newton and say he's "ass" and that he’s "about to be poor" because he's a free agent. 2021 February 21, Thomas Carannante, “Patriots: Cam Newton getting disrespected by a teenager is everything that’s wrong with society”, in Fansided:
Variant of arse; used chiefly in North America. Ultimately from Middle English ars, ers, from Old English ærs, ears, from Proto-West Germanic *ars, from Proto-Germanic *arsaz (compare Old High German ars (German Arsch), Old Norse ars, Old Frisian ers), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁órsos (compare Ancient Greek ὄρρος (órrhos)).
Etymological notes
Contrary to the widespread belief of this being a euphemism, it arose as a pronunciation spelling (of the older form arse still used in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc.) that shows the assimilation of /ɹ/ before coronal consonants (especially /s/), a phenomenon that has been present in nonstandard speech from the Middle English period onwards; this is distinct from the later phenomenon of non-rhoticity as /ɹ/ was lost before it could modify the preceding vowel. Other instances of this phenomenon (some of which retained both spellings with different meanings) include cuss from curse, gash from garsh, bass (“fish”) from barse, bust from burst, passel from parcel; see :Category:English terms with assimilation of historic /ɹ/ for a more extensive list.
Meanings
(US, countable, slang, uncountable, vulgar) The buttocks.
(US, countable, slang, uncountable, vulgar) The anus.
That does it! Now listen! Why is it that everything today has involved things either going in or coming out of my ass? I’m sick of it! It’s completely immature! 1997 Matt Stone & Trey Parker, "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe," South Park, Season 1, Episode 1 (aired August 13, 1997), Spoken by Eric Cartman (Trey Parker)
Train compartment: two sick young junkies on their way to Lexington tear their pants down in convulsions of lust. One of them soaps his cock and works it up the other's ass with a corkscrew motion. 1962 [1959], William S. Burroughs, Naked Lunch, New York: Grove Press, page 81:
(US, slang, uncountable, vulgar) Sex; a person to have sex with; with vulgar emphasis on their corporeality (their body) over their personhood.
piece of ass
Acid, booze, and ass / Needles, guns, and grass 1971, Joni Mitchell, “Blue”, in Blue:
I'm going to go down to the bar and try to get me some ass.
(US, slang, uncountable, vulgar) Used in similes to express something bad or unpleasant.
This room smells like ass.
What a load of ass.
I feel like ass today.
(US, countable, slang, vulgar) A person; the self; (reflexively) oneself or one's person, chiefly their body.
I'ma get medieval on your ass!
We risk our asses out there every day.
Get your lazy ass out of bed!
"All these thugs better get their mind right and their ass out of our country before January 20th," Higgins wrote. 2025 November 18, Brandon Drenon, quoting Clay Higgins, “The only 'no' vote on releasing Epstein files”, in BBC, archived from the original on 19 Dec 2025:
(US, broadly, countable, slang, uncountable, vulgar) A person; the self; (reflexively) oneself or one's person, chiefly their body. ▸ One's personal safety, or figuratively one's job, prospects, etc.
Mess up one more time and it's your ass on the line.
Variant of arse; used chiefly in North America. Ultimately from Middle English ars, ers, from Old English ærs, ears, from Proto-West Germanic *ars, from Proto-Germanic *arsaz (compare Old High German ars (German Arsch), Old Norse ars, Old Frisian ers), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁órsos (compare Ancient Greek ὄρρος (órrhos)).
Etymological notes
Contrary to the widespread belief of this being a euphemism, it arose as a pronunciation spelling (of the older form arse still used in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc.) that shows the assimilation of /ɹ/ before coronal consonants (especially /s/), a phenomenon that has been present in nonstandard speech from the Middle English period onwards; this is distinct from the later phenomenon of non-rhoticity as /ɹ/ was lost before it could modify the preceding vowel. Other instances of this phenomenon (some of which retained both spellings with different meanings) include cuss from curse, gash from garsh, bass (“fish”) from barse, bust from burst, passel from parcel; see :Category:English terms with assimilation of historic /ɹ/ for a more extensive list.
Meanings
(US, slang, vulgar) Synonym of -ass (used to intensify an adjective).