# bumps

/ˈbəmps/ (US) · /bˈʌmps/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bumps
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. raised areas

noun · CEFR A2

small raised parts on a surface that is usually flat.

For teachers: plural noun referring to small protuberances or swellings on an otherwise smooth surface.

- The old road was full of bumps that made the car shake.
- The dermatologist examined the small red bumps on the patient's arm to determine if they were an allergic reaction or a viral infection.

### 2. birthday tradition

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal

a British tradition where friends lift a person up and down on their birthday.

For teachers: a British celebratory ritual, typically for birthdays, involving lifting a person by their limbs and tossing them into the air or bumping them against the ground.

- After we sang 'Happy Birthday', we gave him the bumps.
- It was a school tradition to give the birthday boy the bumps, though teachers often discouraged the practice for safety reasons.

Teaching tip: This is a culturally specific British term; learners should be aware it is rarely used or understood in American English.

## Examples

- The old road is full of bumps and holes.
- After walking through the tall grass, she noticed several small red bumps on her ankles.
- The pilot warned the passengers to keep their seatbelts fastened as the aircraft encountered several minor bumps while passing through the storm clouds.

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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.