rear
n. countablen. the back part of something. You use this to talk about the back of a car, a building, or even a person's body.
n. the back or hindmost part of an object, building, or vehicle. When referring to the human body, it functions as a polite or slightly formal euphemism for the buttocks.
The children sat in the rear of the car.
The garden is located at the rear of the house, hidden away from the busy street noise.
Military commanders often remain at the rear of the formation to maintain a broader perspective of the battlefield while ensuring the supply lines remain secure.
From Middle English reren (“to raise”), from Old English rǣran (“to raise, set upright, promote, exalt, begin, create, give rise to, excite, rouse, arouse, stir up”), from Proto-West Germanic raiʀijan, from Proto-Germanic raizijaną, raisijaną (“to cause to rise, raise”), from Proto-Indo-European h₁rey- (“to lift oneself, rise”). Cognate with Scots rere (“to construct, build, rear”), Icelandic reisa (“to raise”), Gothic 𐍂𐌰𐌹𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (raisjan, “to cause to rise, lift up, establish”), German reisen (“to travel”, literally “to rear up and depart”); and a doublet of raise. More at rise. Related to rise and raise, which is used for several of its now archaic or obsolete senses and for some of its senses that are currently more common in other dialects of English.
From Middle English rere, from Anglo-Norman rere, ultimately from Latin retro. Compare arrear. Doublet of retro.
From Middle English reren, from Old English hrēran (“to move, shake, agitate”), from Proto-Germanic hrōzijaną (“to stir”), from Proto-Indo-European ḱroHs- (“to mix, stir, cook”). Cognate with Dutch roeren (“to stir, shake, whip”), German rühren (“to stir, beat, move”), Swedish röra (“to touch, move, stir”), Icelandic hræra (“to stir”).
From Middle English rere, from Old English hrēr, hrēre (“not thoroughly cooked, underdone, lightly boiled”), from hrēran (“to move, shake, agitate”), from Proto-Germanic hrōzijaną (“to stir”), from Proto-Indo-European ḱroHs- (“to mix, stir, cook”). Related to Old English hrōr (“stirring, busy, active, strong, brave”), Dutch roeren (“to stir, shake, whip”), German rühren (“to stir, beat, move”), Swedish röra (“to touch, move, stir”), Icelandic hræra (“to stir”).
Often used in the prepositional phrase 'at the rear of' or 'to the rear'.