What does arse mean?
"Arse" is a vulgar British, Irish, Australian and New Zealand English word meaning the buttocks. It is the regional counterpart of the American "ass," and like that word it extends figuratively to describe a foolish, irritating, or contemptible person — as in "don't be an arse." The word is firmly informal and mildly obscene: it is common in casual conversation, comedy, and journalism quoting speech, but out of place in professional or formal contexts. It appears in many fixed idioms, including "kick someone's arse" (to defeat or reprimand), "get off one's arse" (to stop being lazy), and "pain in the arse" (a persistent nuisance), as well as "arsehole" for a thoroughly unpleasant person. Etymologically it is ancient: its Old English form ærs descends from Proto-Germanic roots shared with German Arsch and Dutch aars, making it one of the oldest body-part words still in daily use. For learners, it is worth knowing chiefly for comprehension — understanding British films, books, and banter — though using it requires care, since it can easily give offence.
The buttocks.
"He slipped and landed on his arse."
Vulgar; chiefly British/Irish/Australian/NZ.
A stupid, irritating, or contemptible person.
"He's acting like a complete arse."
Insulting slang.
Regular plural; rare outside anatomical or humorous contexts.
"They sat on their frozen arses waiting for the bus."
"Arse" is one of the few everyday English obscenities whose Old English ancestor, ærs, has been traced back over a thousand years — making it older than most of the polite words we use today.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of arse
Old English ærs, from Proto-Germanic *arsaz, cognate with German Arsch and Dutch aars. Ultimately related to PIE *ors-/*ers- meaning backside or tail.
Related word forms
How arse is actually used
Vulgar and informal in all varieties of English; avoided in formal writing. In American English, "ass" is the equivalent term, though it carries slightly different idiomatic patterns.
Easily confused with arse
"Ass" is the standard American form of the same word and also refers to a donkey, while "arse" is the chiefly British spelling and pronunciation.