What does bunch mean?
Bunch refers to a number of small things of the same kind that grow, hang, or are held together at one point — a bunch of grapes, a bunch of keys on a ring, a bunch of flowers gathered at the stems. By extension it is used informally for a group of people, as in "that bunch over there." In casual speech, particularly in American English, "a bunch of" functions as an informal quantifier meaning "a lot of," making it one of the most frequent colloquial expressions of quantity in English. The word also works as a verb, meaning to gather or huddle together: coats bunched in a closet, players bunching near the goal. Its connotations are relaxed and conversational rather than formal, so it suits speech and informal writing more than official prose. Related idioms include "the best of the bunch," singling out the finest member of a group, and the ambiguous "thanks a bunch," which may be heartfelt or ironic depending on delivery.
A number of things of the same kind fastened, growing, or grouped together.
"She bought a bunch of bananas at the market."
Often used with "of": a bunch of grapes, keys, flowers.
To form or gather into a bunch; to group closely together.
"The runners bunched up at the first corner."
Standard plural; takes -es because the word ends in a sibilant sound.
"Several bunches of lavender hung drying from the beams."
"Thanks a bunch" can be sincere gratitude or pure sarcasm — the same phrase, flipped entirely by tone.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bunch
Bunch appeared in English in the late Middle English period, with early attestations around the fourteenth to fifteenth centuries, though its ultimate origin is uncertain — it has no clear cognates in other Germanic or Romance languages and may be of obscure or imitative origin. It originally denoted a lump or swelling and by the sixteenth century had settled into its familiar sense of things clustered together. The derived adjective bunchy reflects the same root.
Related word forms
How bunch is actually used
In everyday speech, especially in American English, "a bunch of" is a common informal quantifier meaning simply "a lot of," as in "a bunch of questions." It is casual rather than formal register.
Easily confused with bunch
A bundle is things tied or wrapped together as one item (e.g. firewood, newspapers), while a bunch is things joined at one natural point or loosely grouped (e.g. grapes, keys).