What does bottom mean?
"Bottom" most fundamentally denotes the lowest part of anything: the foot of a hill, the last line of a page, the depths of the sea, or the base of a container. From this concrete core, its meanings branch widely. It can refer to a supporting surface, as in the bottom of a boat; a person's rear end, especially in informal British usage; the lowest rank in a league or hierarchy; or even the trouser half of an outfit. The word also anchors several indispensable idioms: "the bottom line" means the essential conclusion, often literally the final figure in an account, while "rock bottom" describes the absolute lowest point of misfortune or despair. Derived forms such as "bottomless" and "bottommost" extend its reach further. Old in origin and endlessly productive in use, "bottom" remains one of English's most versatile positional words.
The lowest part or point of something; the base or underside on which an object rests.
"The diver reached the bottom of the lake."
Often used with prepositions such as 'at', 'on', or 'of' depending on whether the reference is positional or structural.
(Informal) The buttocks.
"The toddler fell down and hurt his bottom."
Mild and child-appropriate in both British and American English, though more characteristic of British usage.
Situated at the lowest position or level; last in a series or ranking.
"She lives in the bottom flat of the building."
(With 'out') To reach or reach toward the lowest possible level before rising again.
"House prices bottomed out last spring and are now climbing."
Almost always appears in the phrasal form 'to bottom out', especially in economic and financial contexts.
Standard plural. 'Bottoms' can refer to multiple lowest parts, but is also commonly used for pairs of trousers or the lower halves of swimsuits.
"She folded the freshly laundered bottoms and put them away."
In Old English, 'bottom' literally meant the ground beneath your feet — and it's still doing that job a thousand years later.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bottom
"Bottom" derives from the Old English "botm" (also spelled "bodan"), meaning the ground, foundation, or lowest part, and it is cognate with Old Norse "botn" and related to Germanic roots denoting ground or soil. The word has been in continuous use since the earliest recorded stages of English, and its core spatial sense has remained remarkably stable across a millennium. Figurative and extended senses — including anatomical and idiomatic uses such as "the bottom line" — developed gradually over the centuries.
Related word forms
How bottom is actually used
Highly polysemous: context determines which sense applies, from physical location to anatomy to clothing. In British English, 'bottom' is a mild, child-friendly word for the buttocks, whereas 'butt' is more common in American English. Phrases like 'the bottom line' and 'rock bottom' have become figurative staples of business and everyday speech.
Easily confused with bottom
A button is a small fastening disc for clothing, whereas bottom refers to the lowest part of something.