buss
n.n. a large, heavy vehicle used for carrying many people. It is an old-fashioned word that people might use in stories or when talking about history.
n. a large, heavy vehicle, such as a bus or a tram. Primarily used in historical or literary contexts; often appears in the plural form 'busses'.
The old buss carried passengers across the city.
In the historical novel, the protagonist traveled by buss to the capital for the annual festival.
The author describes the bustling streets of the nineteenth century, where a buss would often be seen transporting workers to the factory gates before the shift began.
Uncertain. First attested in the 1560s. Possibly from Proto-Indo-European bʰus- (“lip, to kiss”) via Proto-Germanic busaną (compare German bussen), but in any case imitative of kissing. Compare Welsh bus (“kiss, lip”) and Irish bus (“lips, mouth”) (both may have influenced English), Persian بوس (bus, “kiss”), Latvian buča (“kiss”), Latin basium (“kiss”). Mainstream proposals like in The Free Dictionary have suggested it is a blend of old English dialect words bass (related to French baiser) and cuss (akin to kissen); perhaps compare puss.
From Dutch buis.
Clipping of bussing.