# bunny

/ˈbəni/ (US) · /bˈʌni/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bunny
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a rabbit

noun · CEFR A1 · Informal

a cute or informal name for a rabbit, especially a young one.

For teachers: a hypocorism for a rabbit, typically used in child-directed speech or informal contexts.

- The children were excited to see a little brown bunny hopping across the grass.
- The toddler pointed at the picture book, identifying every long-eared creature as a bunny regardless of its actual species.

### 2. bunny chow

noun · CEFR B2 · Dialect

a South African snack made of a hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with curry.

For teachers: a South African fast-food dish consisting of a hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with curry.

- When we visited Durban, we had a delicious mutton bunny for lunch.
- The street vendor served a traditional bunny, ensuring the bread was sturdy enough to hold the spicy vegetable curry without leaking.

### 3. missed basketball shot

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · American English

an easy shot in basketball that a player accidentally misses.

For teachers: an easy, short-range shot—typically a layup—that a player fails to convert.

- The crowd groaned when the star player missed a wide-open bunny.
- Despite his professional experience, the forward missed a crucial bunny in the final seconds, costing the team their lead.

### 4. costumed waitress

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a waitress at a nightclub who wears a costume with rabbit ears and a tail.

For teachers: a waitress, specifically in a Playboy Club, wearing a stylized rabbit costume.

- The vintage movie showed a scene in a club where a bunny served drinks to the guests.
- The iconic uniform of the club bunny became a widely recognized symbol of mid-century American nightlife culture.

### 5. easy

adjective · CEFR C1 · Slang

something that is very easy or not a challenge.

For teachers: describing a task or academic course that is perceived as unchallenging or simplistic.

- I took a bunny course in photography just to get some easy credits.
- Students often flocked to his lectures, as the module had a reputation for being a bunny option with high pass rates.

## Examples

- The little bunny hopped across the green grass.
- During the spring festival, children often dress up in costumes with long ears to look like a bunny.
- While the biological term is 'rabbit', the word bunny persists in common parlance as a term of endearment for the animal, especially within children's literature and festive traditions.

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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.