What does arsehole mean?
Arsehole is a vulgar English noun with two related senses: literally, it denotes the anus, and figuratively, it serves as a harsh insult for a person regarded as contemptible, selfish, or thoroughly unpleasant. The figurative use is by far the more common in everyday speech, appearing in phrases like "total arsehole" or "what an arsehole." The word belongs to a register of strong profanity: it is generally inappropriate in formal settings, professional communication, or polite company, though it appears freely in casual speech, comedy, and informal writing across much of the English-speaking world. Spelling and pronunciation vary regionally — British, Irish, Australian, and New Zealand English favour "arsehole," built on the older word "arse" for the buttocks, while North American English uses "asshole." Despite its crudeness, the word is long-established, vividly expressive, and useful to recognise, since misjudging its strength can cause genuine offence.
The anus.
"The medical illustration clearly labelled the muscles surrounding the arsehole."
Vulgar; clinical contexts prefer terms like "anus."
A contemptible, obnoxious, or detestable person.
"Everyone agreed he was behaving like a complete arsehole at the meeting."
Strongly offensive insult; common in casual British and Commonwealth speech.
Regular plural; used both literally and as an insult for multiple people.
"The pub was full of drunk arseholes singing badly."
The word "arse" predates "ass" in English — the American version actually changed the vowel, not the other way around.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of arsehole
Arsehole is a compound of "arse," the traditional English word for the buttocks or anus, which derives from Old English "ears," and "hole," from Old English "hol." The compound has existed in English for centuries, with the literal sense attested well before the modern era. When American English developed, the related form "ass" — reflecting a different regional pronunciation of the same Old English root — gave rise to "asshole," which became the dominant variant in North America while "arsehole" remained standard in Britain and other Commonwealth varieties.
How arsehole is actually used
Highly vulgar in all registers; generally avoided in formal writing and polite conversation. The spelling "arsehole" is chiefly British, Irish, Australian, and New Zealand English, while "asshole" predominates in North America. Both the literal anatomical sense and the figurative insult are considered crude.
Easily confused with arsehole
"Asshole" is the American spelling and pronunciation of the same word, while "arsehole" is the British variant using the older form "arse" for the buttocks.