ENGLISH
REFERENCE

asses

n.
US //ˈæsəz// ass·es
  1. 1 animals (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    more than one donkey.

    plural of the mammal Equus africanus asinus; used primarily in zoological or biblical contexts.

    Example

    The farmer used two asses to carry the heavy bags of grain up the hill.

    Example

    Historically, wild asses were prized for their endurance in arid climates where horses often struggled to survive.
  2. 2 body parts (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal American English Vulgar

    a person's bottom or backside.

    plural of the anatomical term for the buttocks.

    Example

    They sat on their asses all day watching television instead of working.

    Example

    The coach told the players to get off their asses and start the warm-up drills immediately.
  3. 3 stupid people (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    people who act in a very stupid or annoying way.

    plural of the pejorative term for a foolish, stubborn, or contemptible person.

    Example

    Don't listen to them; they are just being asses because they are jealous.

    Example

    The manager's arrogant behavior made him look like one of those pompous asses who refuses to admit a mistake.
Origin

Latin assēs, nominative plural of as

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 20, 2026