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 donkey2sometimes vulgar : a stupid, obstinate, or perverse person <made an ass of himself> —often compounded with a preceding adjective <don't be a smart-ass>