Main Entry: ¹ass

Pronunciation: \ˈas\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English assa, probably from Old Irish asan, from Latin asinus

Date: before 12th century

1 : any of several hardy gregarious African or Asian perissodactyl mammals (genus Equus) smaller than the horse and having long ears; especially : an African mammal (E. asinus) that is the ancestor of the donkey
2 sometimes vulgar : a stupid, obstinate, or perverse person <made an ass of himself> —often compounded with a preceding adjective <don't be a smart-ass>