bun
gb/bˈʌn/ us/bˈʌn/
A2
English
zsemle, buci, édes péksütemény, konty, nyuszi, popsi
NOUN
A2
1
Usage pattern:
a bun; [type] bun; bun with [filling]
Can I get my burger on a gluten-free bun?
Kérhetem a hamburgeremet gluténmentes zsemlében?
She toasted the bun and spread it with butter.
Megpirította a zsemlét, és megkente vajjal.
They served soup with warm buns on the side.
Learner examples
I want a bun for my burger.
Szeretnék egy zsemlét a hamburgeremhez.
This bun is very soft.
Ez a zsemle nagyon puha.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse a bun (small roll) with a loaf (large bread).
Meaning
a small bread roll
Collocations
burger bun
|hamburger bun
|hot dog bun
|toasted bun
|soft bun
|sesame-seed bun
|bun and butter
|bun with jam
|bun filling
|fresh buns
Synonyms
roll (A general word for a small piece of bread; not always used for burgers.)
Themes
food_and_drink
|daily_life
Definition
A small piece of bread, like a roll, often used for a burger.
A small, usually round bread roll, often sliced and used for sandwiches such as burgers.
NOUN
B1
2
Usage pattern:
a bun; [flavor] bun; bun with [ingredient]
He bought a cinnamon bun and a coffee for breakfast.
Reggelire vett egy fahéjas csigát és egy kávét.
The bakery sells sticky buns with pecans on top.
A pékségben pekándióval megszórt, ragacsos édes péksüteményeket árulnak.
Would you like a bun with your tea?
Learner examples
I ate a sweet bun.
Ettem egy édes péksüteményt.
This bun has icing.
Ezen az édes péksüteményen cukormáz van.
Common mistake:
In some places, a 'bun' can be sweet; in others it mainly means a bread roll for sandwiches.
Meaning
a small sweet baked bun
Collocations
cinnamon bun
|sticky bun
|iced bun
|currant bun
|sweet bun
|freshly baked bun
|bun with raisins
|bun with icing
|tea and a bun
|warm bun
Synonyms
sweet roll (Often used for a bun with icing or cinnamon, especially in North American English.)
Themes
food_and_drink
Definition
A small sweet bread or pastry.
A small sweet baked item made with yeast dough or pastry, often containing fruit, spices, or icing.
NOUN
B1
3
konty
B1
Usage pattern:
wear [one's] hair in a bun; put [one's] hair in a bun
She wore her hair in a bun for the interview.
Az interjúra kontyba fogta a haját.
He tied his long hair back in a neat bun.
Rendezett kontyba fogta a hosszú haját.
A few strands escaped from her messy bun.
Learner examples
She has her hair in a bun.
Kontyban van a haja.
I put my hair in a bun.
Kontyba fogtam a hajam.
Common mistake:
A bun is different from a ponytail (hair hangs down) and a braid (hair is woven).
Meaning
hair arranged in a bun
Collocations
messy bun
|tight bun
|low bun
|high bun
|hair bun
|put hair in a bun
|wear hair in a bun
|a bun at the nape of the neck
|ballet bun
|neat bun
Synonyms
chignon (A more formal term for a bun, especially a low bun.)
Themes
clothing_and_style
|body
Definition
A hairstyle where the hair is tied into a round shape.
A hairstyle in which hair is gathered and twisted or coiled into a round shape at the back or top of the head.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
4
nyuszi
A1
Usage pattern:
a bun; pet bun; baby bun
We adopted a bun from the animal shelter last weekend.
Múlt hétvégén örökbe fogadtunk egy nyuszit az állatmenhelyről.
Her bun loves carrots but won’t touch lettuce.
A nyuszija imádja a répát, de a salátához hozzá sem nyúl.
The vet said the bun needs more hay in its diet.
Learner examples
My bun is a rabbit.
A nyuszim egy nyúl.
Common mistake:
This is much less common than 'rabbit' or 'bunny' and may sound unusual outside pet/online contexts.
Meaning
a rabbit (informal)
Collocations
pet bun
|house bun
|baby bun
|rescue bun
|fluffy bun
Synonyms
bunny (Much more common and widely understood.)
Themes
animals
Definition
An informal word for a rabbit.
A rabbit, referred to with an informal, affectionate term.
NOUN
B2
SLANG
5
popsi
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s buns; on [someone]'s buns
He slipped on the ice and landed on his buns.
Megcsúszott a jégen, és a popsijára esett.
Stop sitting all day—get off your buns and take a walk.
Ne ülj egész nap – állj fel a popsidról, és menj sétálni.
That joke is a little too focused on people’s buns for my taste.
Common mistake:
Usually used in the plural ('buns'), not the singular ('bun').
Meaning
buttocks (usually plural 'buns')
Collocations
sit on your buns
|shake your buns
|cover your buns
|fall on your buns
|get off your buns
Synonyms
butt (More direct and common; can be rude depending on context.)
|
rear (More polite and less slangy.)
Themes
body
|slang
Definition
Slang for a person’s buttocks.
A person’s buttocks, typically referred to in the plural as buns.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bun
IPA
GB/bˈʌn/
US/bˈʌn/
Syllables & stress
bun (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (bun)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: bun
- Plural: buns
Word family
Forms
buns
noun
Negative and opposite forms
bunless
adjective
Expressions
bun fight
1/bˈʌn fˈaɪt/
idiom
informal
noisy argument or conflict
A loud, silly argument.
Examples
- The meeting turned into a bun fight over who would lead the project.
- I’m staying out of that bun fight—it's not worth it.
- There was a minor bun fight online about the new logo.
buns of steel
1/bˈʌnz əv stˈil/
fixed phrase
informal
very firm, toned buttocks
A joking way to say someone has very strong, firm buttocks.
Examples
- After months of squats, she joked that she had buns of steel.
- That workout claims it will give you buns of steel in six weeks.
- He’s training for cycling season and says it’s all about getting buns of steel.
have a bun in the oven
1/hˈæv ə bˈʌn ˈɪn ðə ˈʌvən/
idiom
informal
be pregnant (informal)
A humorous way to say someone is pregnant.
Examples
- They’re not telling everyone yet, but she has a bun in the oven.
- I guessed she had a bun in the oven when she stopped drinking coffee.
- He joked that the new house was needed because they had a bun in the oven.
hot cross bun
1/hˈɑt kɹˈɔs bˈʌn/
fixed phrase
spiced bun with a cross
A sweet bun with a cross on top, often eaten at Easter.
Examples
- The bakery starts selling hot cross buns in early spring.
- She warmed a hot cross bun and spread it with butter.
- We ate hot cross buns after the Easter service.
Learner examples
- I ate a hot cross bun.