ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rump

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈɹəmp// UK //ɹˈʌmp// rump Archaic Slang Vulgar

n. the back part of an animal's body, or a person's bottom. It can also mean a small group of people left over from a larger group.

n. the hindquarters of an animal or the buttocks of a person; also used metaphorically to describe a small, remaining remnant of a larger organization or party.


SIMPLE

The horse has a white patch on its rump.

CONTEXTUAL

After the main party split, only a small rump of loyal supporters remained to vote on the new policy.

COMPLEX

The chef explained that this specific cut of beef comes from the rump, which is leaner but often tougher than the sirloin.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English rumpe, from Old Norse rumpr (“rump”), from Middle Low German rump (“the bulk or trunk of a body, trunk of a tree”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic rumpō (“trunk of a tree, log”). The ultimate origin could be related to Proto-Germanic hrimpaną (“to wrinkle”) (Dutch rimpel and German rümpfen (“to wrinkle”)); outside of Germanic, compare Ancient Greek ῥάμφος (rhámphos, “crooked beak”). Cognate with Icelandic rumpur (“rump”), Swedish rumpa (“rump”), Dutch romp (“trunk, body, hull”), German Rumpf (“hull, trunk, torso, trunk”). In the sense of remnant, first attested in the Rump Parliament of 1648; its original meaning here was a reference to the rotten, unclean hindquarters of an animal, gradually morphing to refer to the "remnant" aspect of the Parliament rather than its perceived unsavory nature.

Usage

Often used in political contexts to describe a 'rump parliament' or a 'rump faction'.

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