# bottom

/ˈbɑtəm/ (US) · /bˈɒtəm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bottom
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. lowest part

noun · CEFR A2

the lowest part or surface of something.

For teachers: the lowest part, point, or surface of an object or structure.

- The keys were hiding at the very bottom of her heavy bag.
- The researchers discovered a small crack at the bottom of the container, which explained why the liquid had been leaking slowly for days.

### 2. body part

noun · CEFR A2 · British English

the part of your body that you sit on.

For teachers: the buttocks; used as a polite or neutral term in British English.

- The toddler fell down on his bottom but didn't cry.
- After sitting on the hard wooden bench for three hours, my bottom was completely numb.

### 3. under water

noun · CEFR B1

the ground at the lowest part of a lake, river, or sea.

For teachers: the bed of a body of water.

- The old ship has been sitting at the bottom of the ocean for centuries.
- Divers explored the lake bottom, searching for any artifacts that might have survived the flood.

### 4. lowest position

noun · CEFR B1

the last or lowest position in a group or list.

For teachers: the lowest rank or position in a hierarchy or sequence.

- His name was at the bottom of the list, so he had to wait a long time.
- The team started the season at the bottom of the league but managed to win their last five games.

### 5. low land

noun · CEFR C1 · American English

low, flat land near a river.

For teachers: low-lying alluvial land, typically near a river or in a valley.

- The farmers planted corn in the rich soil of the river bottoms.
- The heavy rains caused the river to overflow, completely submerging the fertile bottoms and destroying the season's crops.

### 6. sexual role

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang

a person who takes the receiving role during sex.

For teachers: a person who takes the receptive role in sexual intercourse.

- He identified as a bottom in his dating profile.
- The discussion focused on how traditional labels like top and bottom are evolving within modern queer communities.

### 7. lowest

adjective · CEFR A2

being at the lowest part or the end of something.

For teachers: situated at the lowest part, point, or rank.

- Please sign your name on the bottom line of the contract.
- The bottom drawer of the desk was jammed, preventing us from accessing the old files stored inside.

### 8. to reach the lowest point

verb · CEFR B2

to reach the lowest possible level before starting to rise again.

For teachers: to reach the lowest point or level; often used with 'out'.

- The stock prices finally bottomed out after weeks of falling.
- Economists believe the recession has bottomed out and that we will see growth in the next quarter.

## Examples

- The keys are at the bottom of my bag.
- The divers found an old shipwreck resting on the sandy bottom of the ocean.
- The researchers discovered that the sediment at the bottom of the lake contained chemical traces from a volcanic eruption that occurred thousands of years ago.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.